Signor Prodi's nomination was probably sped up by the war raging in Yugoslavia, which wiped out the last-minute opposition of Spain.

Romano Prodi, Economist from Bologna, grew up in the political atmosphere of the Christian Democratic party. He headed a left-of-center government after forming an alliance with the former Communist Democratic Left Party in the Olive movement. Two weeks ago, he formalized the birth of a new political grouping to be known as the "Democrats," with a donkey as symbol (like the Democrat party in the US), and which occupies the Left wing of the political spectrum.

Mr. Prodi must now rebuild confidence in the "Executive" of the European Union, which was severely damaged by the series of scandals that caused the previous Commission to resign. The fact that Prodi successfully brought Italy into the common currency system is thought to be one of the main credentials which played in favor of his nomination.