51.   An absolute majority was needed to approve the motion.

52.   And a candidate who obtains an absolute majority of the total number of valid votes will be elected outright.

53.   Authors of the bill withdrew it at the last moment, fearing that it would not get the support of an absolute majority of members as required for passage.

54.   Billionaire media mogul Silvio Berlusconi has won an absolute majority in both houses of the Italian Parliament, according to final, official returns released Tuesday.

55.   Bossano is hoping for a third consecutive absolute majority.

56.   But a string of allegations of patronage and nepotism leveled against the government in the last few weeks threatened to wrest the absolute majority from the MPD.

57.   But he failed to gain an absolute majority, forcing a runoff.

58.   But he questioned whether several Lavalas winners obtained an absolute majority of votes needed to avoid a runoff.

59.   But the Democrats are keen to get the absolute majority of the popular vote to back their claim to speak for the people.

60.   But the incumbents may lose their absolute parliamentary majority on the heels of accusations of patronage and nepotism in the last few weeks.