ROME, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- Italian President Giorgio Napolitano on Saturday turned down Romano Prodi's offer to resign as prime minister and asked him to face a confidence vote in parliament.

　　Prodi lost a vote on foreign policy in the Senate, including the government's plan to keep troops in Afghanistan.

　　President Napolitano announced his decision after two days of talks with party leaders. He said most party leaders agreed that holding early elections is pointless and there is no alternative to sending Prodi's government back to parliament for a vote of confidence.

　　After meeting with Napolitano for about 30 minutes on Saturday, Prodi said he was grateful to the president's support for him and the center-left coalition, and will seek a vote of confidence as soon as possible.

　　Prodi's administration enjoys a comfortable majority in the lower house of parliament, the Chamber of Deputies, but a wafer-thin majority in the Senate.

　　The vote of confidence in the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate is expected to be held some time next week on two separate days. Should Prodi lose the vote, he would be constitutionally obliged to step down.