Berlusconi to quit after vote

Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi is expected to resign after parliament's lower chamber passes European-demanded reforms, amid continued debate among the embattled leader's allies over who should take his place.

While respected economist Mario Monti is clearly the top choice of Italy's president and international markets to steer the country out of its debt crisis, members of Mr Berlusconi's own Peoples of Liberty Party and allied Northern League remain split.

It isn't clear if the opposition will be enough to scuttle President Giorgio Napolitano's apparent plan to ask Mr Monti to try to form a government once Mr Berlusconi resigns, which is expected this afternoon after the Chamber of Deputies approves economic reforms.