Italy: No-confidence vote against government on December 14

Rome: Premier Silvio Berlusconi will face a do-or-die no-confidence vote in Italy's parliament on December 14.

The Italian leader has been battling with former ally Gianfranco Fini, who has urged Berlusconi to resign and this week withdrew lawmakers loyal to him from the government.

On Tuesday, Italy's president summoned the parliamentary speakers to discuss the political crisis and map out the next steps.

Italian news agencies ANSA and Apcom said Berlusconi is scheduled to address parliament on December 13. The next day, the lower house of parliament will vote on a no-confidence motion.

After the breakup with Fini, Berlusconi can no longer be assured of a majority in that house, and most analysts expect he will lose the vote. If that happens, Berlusconi has to resign.