A surprise cabinet meeting on the situation at Carige is due to start at 9.00 p.m. (2000 GMT).

The European Central Bank last week picked three commissioners to try to save the Genoa-based bank after the Malacalza family, Carige's biggest stakeholder, blocked a share issue that was part of an industry-financed scheme to stave off a collapse.

(Reporting by Giuseppe Fonte; Writing by Crispian Balmer; Editing by Stephen Jewkes)