Rome ? The Italian parliament on Wednesday elected an 80-year-old former communist as president of the nation, the final step before a new government can be seated.

It is the first time a communist has been chosen for the post that is largely ceremonial yet also critical in bringing together bitterly divided Italian political factions.

The earliest and most important act that President-elect Giorgio Napolitano will perform as head of state is to invite center-left leader Romano Prodi to form a government. Prodi and his coalition narrowly won elections in April but under Italy’s parliamentarian system cannot govern until the president asks them to do so.

Prodi defeated outgoing Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and the center-right alliance that had ruled for the last five years.

Berlusconi refused for weeks to accept defeat and has vowed to fight Prodi every step of the way. In the latest evidence of that, it took two days and three rounds of voting before Napolitano could gain the number of votes necessary to prevail as president. He was Prodi’s candidate and was opposed by Berlusconi.