The People's Party, the largest group in a five-party coalition, walked out amid disputes over how to cope with the country's severe problems.

Kopf led a five-party coalition, whose basic task was to rebuild a state afflicted by the war's rigours.

He ran unsuccessfully in 1964, then won the 1968 elections as the standard-bearer of a five-party coalition.

The Republican Party, a junior partner in the five-party coalition, warned that this amnesty had reinforced the reputation.

The Cabinet crisis saw the governing five-party coalition shattered by a conflict between the Socialists and the Christian Democrats.

He headed two five-party coalitions that fought Red Brigade urban terrorism at the close of the period Italians call the "years of lead."

The Italian Government is undergoing one of its most troubled and unstable periods since the five-party coalition came to power in 1981.

But squabbling among the five-party coalition has blocked efforts to complete such passage.

The five-party governing coalition is expected to muster the votes to enact the measure.

Whatever happens, political commentators said, it was likely that the five-party coalition that has governed Italy through most of the 1980's would remain intact for now.