Prodi claims victory, Berlusconi party disagrees, reax, morning scenes

(11 Apr 2006) SHOTLIST
++NIGHT SHOTS++
1. Santi Apostoli square outside L''Ulivo (Olive Tree) coalition headquarters, supporters celebrating victory, zoom in to big screen
2. Prodi congratulating all members of coalition UPSOUND (Italian)
"We''re here tonight to represent the Ulivo leaders, but this is a victory of the whole Union coalition, therefore we greet all Union leaders, because without this large coalition, we would have never won. We would have never won without them."
3. Various of screen with congress results
4. Centre-left coalition candidate Romano Prodi leaving L''Ulivo headquarters carrying granddaughter, getting into car and leaving
5. Various of Romano Prodi supporters demonstrating in front of Berlusconi residence
6. People standing up in front of Forza Italia headquarters entry
7. SOUNDBITE (Italian) Mario Mantovani, European Parliament representative of Forza Italia
"For the moment, there is a victory of the Olive, that we are contesting, since the difference is so small."
8. Exteriors of Forza Italia headquarters starting closing doors
9. Wide of Coliseum
10. Wide of Campo Dei Fiori, food market vendors setting up their stands
11 SOUNDBITE (Italian) Vox pop, woman:
"I see it like this, we may need to go and vote again because it seems like we are head to head, we will wait and see."
12. SOUNDBITE (Italian) Vox pop, waiter:
"If I have to be sincere I would have been happier if Berlusconi won." Lady handing him back her coffee saying" "I will change coffee shop"
13. Man buying newspapers at stand
14. Close up of Il Manifesto, extreme left newspaper, reading "we hurt ourselves"
15. Il Messaggero headline reading "lower Chamber to the Union (Prodi''s coalition party), House of Freedom are heading the senate."
16. Newspaper headline reading " Prodi wins overnight"
17. Close up of Romano Prodi picture on newspaper
STORYLINE
Italy''s parliament appeared headed toward a split on Tuesday between the conservative coalition headed by Premier Silvio Berlusconi and one led by his centre-left challenger, Romano Prodi - an election result that could stall the formation of a new government.
Final results in the two-day vote ending on Monday showed Prodi''s centre-left "Ulivo" (olive tree) coalition winning control in the lower house of parliament, with 49.8 percent of the vote compared to 49.7 percent for Berlusconi''s conservatives.
The winning coalition is automatically awarded 55 percent of the seats, according to a new electoral law.
According to the results, Berlusconi''s conservative allies held a one-seat lead in the senate, although six seats elected by Italians abroad were still to be counted.
The centre-left coalition claimed it had won four of those six seats.
A jubilant Prodi told his supporters in Rome that his coalition had won.
"We''re here tonight to represent the Ulivo leaders, but this is a victory of the whole Union coalition, therefore we greet all Union leaders, because without this large coalition, we would have never won. We would have never won without them," he said.
However, officials of Berlusconi''s Forza Italia party contested Prodi''s claim.
"For the moment, there is a victory of the Olive, that we are contesting, since the difference is so small," Mario Mantovani, who is Forza''s European parliament representative, told AP Television.
The senate and lower chamber of parliament have equal powers and any coalition would have to control both in order to form a government.
Both centre-left and centre-right leaders had said that if neither side controlled both houses, new elections should be called.
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