Italy is to hold early national elections on 13-14 April, just two years after its last parliamentary vote, BBC reported.
The news came hours after Italian President Giorgio Napolitano dissolved parliament, following unsuccessful talks to form an interim government.
The political crisis was triggered by last month's resignation of centre-left Prime Minister Romano Prodi.
Prodi, currently Italy's caretaker PM, lost a Senate confidence vote.
The BBC's Christian Fraser, in Rome, says the early election paves the way for a return to power of the opposition leader and former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, who is at least 10 points ahead in the opinion polls.
Berlusconi, Italy's richest man has already begun campaigning unofficially, our correspondent says.
The early election date was announced by outgoing Transport Minister Alessandro Bianchi.