One big surprise is the response of some Communist lawmakers.

As Mr. Berlusconi spoke, a few Communist lawmakers held up red signs saying, "No to the G-8."

Ukraine's Parliament has adopted the country's first post-Soviet Constitution after months of resistance from Communist lawmakers.

He was reported to have said he wants Jews to feel at home in Russia and to have condemned the anti-Semitic tirades of Albert Makashov, a former general and Communist lawmaker.

Communist lawmakers demanded that he be censured for working too closely with NATO.

More than 60 Communists, Socialists and independents - politicians, writers, musicians, teachers, and even a prison warden - announced the idea, a brainchild of Armando Cossuta, a Communist lawmaker.

Communist lawmakers said today that the negotiations broke down over a deadline for enacting amendments to the Constitution that shift some power from the executive branch to the legislature, among other power-sharing arrangements.

Communist lawmakers, an increasingly important part of his power base, backed Mr. Primakov.

All but one Communist lawmaker left the Parliament session in protest, refusing to take part in the vote, the daily Lidove Noviny reported.

Fifteen Communist lawmakers resigned their seats last week, and in December the Communist Party gave up 22 seats, most of them held by the country's disgraced former leaders.