PRESIDENT SEGNI OF ITALY YESTERDAY (SATURDAY) ASKED THE CHRISTIAN DEMOCRAT LEADER, SIGNOR ALDO MORO, TO FORM A NEW GOVERNMENT SUCCEEDING THE COALITION CABINET OF PROFESSOR FANFANI WHICH RESIGNED LAST WEEK.AFTER A TWO-HOUR MEETING WITH THE PRESIDENT IN THE QUIRINAL PALACE, SIGNOR MORO TOLD REPORTERS HE HAD ACCEPTED THE OFFER "WITH RESERVATIONS" AND WOULD BEGIN CONSULTATIONS TO FORM A NEW CABINET ON MONDAY.

THE FANFANI COALITION, WHICH HAD RULED FOR 14 MONTHS, RESIGNED AFTER PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS IN WHICH THE CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATS LOST SOME 700,000 VOTES AND THE COMMUNISTS GAINED ABOUT A MILLION.THE CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATS REMAINED, HOWEVER, THE BIGGEST PARTY AND THE CALL TO THEIR SECRETARY, SIGNOR MORO, TO FORM A NEW GOVERNMENT HAD BEEN WIDELY EXPECTED.

SIGNOR MORO, A PROFESSOR OF LAW AT BARI UNIVERSITY, IS A FORMER MINISTER OF JUSTICE AND OF EDUCATION.IF HE ACCEPTS THE PREMIERSHIP, HE WOULD AT 46 YEARS OLD BE THE YOUNGEST ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER SINCE THE DAYS OF MUSSOLINI.