Though the centre-left coalition government under Giuliano Amato has not done badly, it is in disarray.

ECONOMIST: Italy

In 1992 and 1993, he picked two capable men, Giuliano Amato and then Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, to lead technocratic governments.

ECONOMIST: Italy

One former Italian prime minister, Giuliano Amato, has made his interest clear.

ECONOMIST: Europe��s presidential race: the form

As the implications of the appeal-court ruling sank in, the interior minister in the outgoing government, Giuliano Amato, confirmed that he could not rule out a delay.

ECONOMIST: Could Italy's election be postponed?

But in May Giuliano Amato, the treasury minister, caused a stir when he admitted to his European counterparts that because of its slow growth Italy would miss the 2% target.

ECONOMIST: Italy��s economy

She said she had discussed the matter this month with Interior Minister Giuliano Amato and Justice Minister Clemente Mastella, who said they would work to insert an anti-violence clause in a law to combat discrimination against homosexuals.

BBC: NEWS | Europe | Gay Italians defy Vatican power

Mr Putin headed for Italy, where he and Giuliano Amato, the prime minister, readily agreed that, as good Europeans, they must work together to stop the Americans doing anything rash about their plans for an anti-missile shield.

ECONOMIST: Russia and the United States

Italy's Prime Minister Giuliano Amato urged caution.

BBC: British scientists test 6,500 cattle for BSE

EU's governments gave in to demands by Italy's new finance minister, Giuliano Amato, to let the target for his government's budget deficit for 1999 edge up from 2% to 2.4%, conceding that he was being squeezed by high unemployment and a dull economy.

ECONOMIST: The euro economies