So Berlusconi and Fini have fallen out, and the Popolo della Libertà has split.

Berlusconi wants Fini to leave the post of President of the Chamber of Deputies, but, as I mentioned before, there are no provisions for no-confidencing the President of the Chamber.

Berlusconi’s allies are giving the example of Sandro Pertini, who offered his resignation as President of the Chamber following a split within the PSU (the unified Socialist Party). Read the transcript here.

Of course, perhaps part of the reason Pertini offered his resignation was that he knew it would be rejected. In that case, the comparison might be thought to be a little disingenuous.