The ceasefire will give relative moderates both within the regime and among the opposition an opportunity to reassert themselves.
Berlusconi was not present at the hearing, which analysts had billed as crucial for his ability to reassert control over his fragmenting party.
He has threatened to veto the reforms unless they are substantially improved as part of attempts to reassert his party's independence after last week's events.
Al-Qaida has moved to reassert its battered authority, appointing as its leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, the Egyptian militant mastermind who has vowed to avenge the death of Osama bin Laden with a September 11-style mass attack.
Johnny pic.twitter.com/cdEfDk1vz4 Likewise, Franz Ferdinand hit the main stage reduced to being Snoop's Rizla-lickers but determined to reassert their headlining potential.
Napoli never quite looked like title contenders, but they did reassert their quality in moving back ahead of the rest of the pack.
Can Hibs reassert themselves and channel that early-season mojo?
Winston Churchill was put through his paces on several occasions, while John Major was so outraged by his treatment at the hands of the '22 that he decided to call a leadership contest to try to reassert his authority.
The governors want one of their own in the White House to reassert the tenth amendment to the constitution, which says that all power not explicitly given to the federal government resides with the states and the people an idea, they reckon, compromised by years of centralisation".After the Republican revolution of 1994," says Tommy Thompson of Wisconsin, "everybody talked about devolution".
But in due course separation would give the Kurds international protection from any violent Iraqi Arab attempt to reassert control.
If Mr Sistani chooses to reassert himself in everyday politics, Mr Allawi will probably have to send emissaries to Najaf to consult with the ayatollah every time he wants to float a new initiative.
