THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Silvio Berlusconi's hold on power looked more fragile than ever after his government was defeated in parliament and new claims emerged of starlets being supplied for parties at one of his mansions.The Italian government was humiliated in parliament when MPs loyal to Gianfranco Fini, the prime minister's main rival, voted with the Opposition on three amendments to a controversial treaty drawn up between Italy and Libya on stemming illegal immigrants.
Mr Fini and his followers defected from the government in July, depriving Mr Berlusconi of a guaranteed parliamentary majority, and tensions between the former allies has plunged Italy into political paralysis.
The defeat came as a weekly magazine published alleged secretly filmed video footage of showgirls being driven to Mr Berlusconi's mansion, Villa San Martino, on the outskirts of Milan, without apparently undergoing any security checks by the police who protect the property. >>> Nick Squires in Rome | Wednesday, November 10, 2010
