Why did Silvio Berlusconi resign as prime minister in November 2011?

Silvio Berlusconi resigned as prime minister in November 2011 primarily due to a loss of political support and the escalating euro zone debt crisis.

By late 2011, Italy faced significant economic instability, characterized by high public debt and rising interest rates on government bonds. Investors and international observers grew increasingly skeptical of Berlusconi's administration and its perceived lack of political will to enact necessary austerity measures to stabilize the economy. This pressure was compounded by a public feud between Berlusconi and his finance minister, Giulio Tremonti, and a credit rating downgrade by Standard & Poor’s.12

The political turning point occurred on November 8, 2011, when Berlusconi effectively lost his parliamentary majority during a key budget vote. Following this, his main coalition partner, the Northern League, urged him to step down. Berlusconi announced his intention to resign after the passage of his proposed budget reforms, which the parliament subsequently fast-tracked. He officially resigned on November 12, 2011, and was succeeded by Mario Monti.12