By Silvia Marchetti
ROME (MaceNews) – Italy’s Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte won on Monday a key vote of confidence in the Lower House with 321 votes out of a total 630, six more than the absolute majority required.
The main challenge will be on Tuesday morning at the Senate where the ruling coalition has a razor-thin majority and Conte needs 161 votes to save his government from collapse and avoid the risk of a potential early vote. Alternatively, the coalition needs more ‘yes’ as opposed to ‘no’ votes to win.
Italy’s political crisis was triggered last week when the minor ally party, Italia Viva of former premier Matteo Renzi, withdrew two ministers. Renzi has always been critical of Conte’s leadership and accused him of leading a ‘one-man’ show in the decision-making process and in defining a plan to secure direct EU pandemic aid.
In his address to the Lower House prior to the vote Conte appealed to the support of members from other parties to continue ruling without the Italia Viva group, saying the country needed a strong majority to tackle the pandemic challenge and pursue tasks ahead, including the definition of the Recovery Plan for European aid.
Conte also announced an upcoming tax reform, a new electoral law to boost representation and new measures to support struggling families and workers.
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Contact this reporter: silvia@macenews.com.
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