Berlusconi's Ally Ditches Him

We say he replaces them with sexy ladies: Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's erstwhile ally Gianfranco Fini withdrew four of his ministers from the cabinet after Berlusconi refused to resign. It all started in July, when Fini, co-founder of the center-right People of Liberty party with Berlusconi and a former Fascist, accused the prime minister of being anti-democratic, for which Berlusconi expelled him from the coalition, sacrificing his parliamentary majority. If Berlusconi doesn't pass the confidence vote expected to be held in the coming weeks, the scandal-plagued prime minister will be forced to step down, beginning a period of confusion in Italy's Parliament.