Mr Berlusconi proposed a deal with centrist legislators Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has called on legislators not to jeopardise the government out of narrow political interests, as he faces votes of confidence.
Speaking to the Senate, he said Italy needed operational continuity, and ousting him would create a "crisis in the dark".Those seeking to remove him would be unable to form a government, he said.
If he loses, Mr Berlusconi has said there will be early elections.
Mr Berlusconi's political career - though not his marriage - has survived a string of scandals over his relationships with women.
In November he was embroiled in a scandal over a 17-year-old dancer called Ruby, who was released from police custody after his personal intervention. He denied any improper conduct, saying he had simply pitied her plight.
"I understand those who would challenge the government, opening a crisis leading to fresh elections or at least proposing a different prime minister, whilst being sure of the ability to form a new governing majority," he said in his speech on Monday.
"However, I cannot understand the spirit of those who want to trigger, at all costs, a crisis in the dark."
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Measured, calm and constructive, but still with a hint of warning about the chaos that would follow any resignation by him.
There was none of his usual bravado, combative tone or body language.
Of the two chambers of parliament, the Senate is the more user-friendly for him, but even his opponents did not reject his speech out of hand.
Will it change minds, garner him a game-changing vote, or two? We don't know.
He should be safe in the Senate. The danger lies more in the Lower House, where no serious commentator is prepared to call the outcome.
Analysis
This was a subtle performance by Silvio Berlusconi.Measured, calm and constructive, but still with a hint of warning about the chaos that would follow any resignation by him.
There was none of his usual bravado, combative tone or body language.
Of the two chambers of parliament, the Senate is the more user-friendly for him, but even his opponents did not reject his speech out of hand.
Will it change minds, garner him a game-changing vote, or two? We don't know.
He should be safe in the Senate. The danger lies more in the Lower House, where no serious commentator is prepared to call the outcome.
The BBC's Duncan Kennedy in Rome says that, while Mr Berlusconi normally comes out fighting when he is in a corner, that was missing this time and he gave a very calm and measured performance.
He is due to make another speech in the Chamber of Deputies, the lower house, on Monday afternoon.While he is expected to win in the Senate, the lower house vote will be much tighter and could come down to one or two votes.
Speculation and rumour He said that under his government Italy had gained a good reputation despite the financial crisis.
"I can say with absolute certainty that Italy is not part of the economic problems in Europe - it has become part of the solution," he said.
He proposed a "legislative pact" with centre-right forces - members of his rival Gianfranco Fini's Future and Freedom for Italy (FLI) political movement, whose defections triggered the crisis, and the opposition Union of the Centre (UDC) party.
Dozens of the prime minister's supporters have left, depriving him of his automatic majority in the lower house.
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“Start Quote
End QuoteIf everyone who said they would vote against him did, he would be finished, but Roman politics isn't like that - strange alliances emerge from late-night meetings”
- Gavin Hewitt's Europe
Mr Fini says Mr Berlusconi's personal scandals, gaffes and failed policy programme make his position untenable.
He says he has enough votes to unseat Mr Berlusconi, but the numbers are so close no credible observer of these dramatic events is predicting which way it will go, our correspondent says. Italian media are filled with speculation and rumour about the outcome of votes of confidence in both houses of parliament, he adds.
An investigation has been launched into claims that inducements have been offered to some members of parliament to secure their vote for Mr Berlusconi.
Mr Berlusconi has said that early elections could cause political instability which would lead to a Greek- or Irish-style economic c
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