ITALY: Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's scandal-plagued centre-right government wins a crucial vote of confidence, but economic pressure is mounting and many Italians are betting on a general election as early as next spring
Record ID:
327612
ITALY: Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's scandal-plagued centre-right government wins a crucial vote of confidence, but economic pressure is mounting and many Italians are betting on a general election as early as next spring
- Title: ITALY: Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's scandal-plagued centre-right government wins a crucial vote of confidence, but economic pressure is mounting and many Italians are betting on a general election as early as next spring
- Date: 15th October 2011
- Summary: ROME, ITALY (OCTOBER 14, 2011) (REUTERS) INTERIOR PARLIAMENT ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER SILVIO BERLUSCONI WALKING PAST SPEAKER TO VOTE BERLUSCONI SPEAKING TO SUPPORTERS AND LEAVING CHAMBER BOARD SHOWING NAMES OF PARLIAMENTARIANS HUDDLE OF BERLUSCONI SUPPORTERS TALKING TOGETHER INTERIOR PARLIAMENT VARIOUS PARLIAMENTARIANS VOTING EMPTY OPPOSITION BENCHES BERLUSCONI SUPPORTERS BOOING AS OPPOSITION COMES BACK IN TO VOTE VARIOUS OPPOSITION PARLIAMENTARIANS COMING IN TO VOTE OPPOSITION LEADER PIERLUIGI BERSANI WALKING PAST SPEAKER TO VOTE INTERIOR PARLIAMENT BERLUSCONI TAKING SEAT NEXT TO ECONOMY MINISTER GIULIO TREMONTI INTERIOR PARLIAMENT BOARD SHOWING RESULTS OF VOTE WITH WORDS "APPROVED" APPLAUSE AND BERLUSCONI SMILING BROADLY EXTERIOR PARLIAMENT (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) OSVALDO NAPOLI, BERLUSCONI SUPPORTER PDL PARTY MEMBER AND PARLIAMENTARIAN, SAYING: "I have to say it is a great political victory, it's the second time the 14th of the month is unlucky for the centre-left. December 14 and today, the 14th, it is the second time they try to tactically defeat the government and the second time they fail." RIOT POLICE OVERLOOKING DEMONSTRATORS (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) ANTONIO DIPIETRO, OPPOSITION PARLIAMENTARIAN OF THE ITALY OF VALUES PARTY, SAYING: "The Head of State said the Prime Minister had to show his ability to govern, with just one vote more you can't govern, you can't go anywhere. The reply to his question, the President had today. This government can not govern in this moment, neither the government nor parliament, and I think we need to find some kind of solution before the social desperation changes from egg throwing to baton wielding." BROKEN EGGS ON GROUND RIOT POLICE ARRIVING INFRONT OF PARLIAMENT RIOT POLICE DEMONSTRATORS YELLING: 'We'll see you in the streets tomorrow." DEMONSTRATORS CLAPPING HANDS AND YELLING EXTERIOR PARLIAMENT THE GOVERNMENT MAY HAVE WON THE VOTE BUT IT IS NOT CAPABLE OF GOVERNING THE COUNTRY VARIOUS PROTESTORS OUTSIDE PARLIAMENT
- Embargoed: 30th October 2011 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Italy, Italy
- Country: Italy
- Topics: Economy,Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA4GQ1DX1ES96NKBIXE9ME9NG46
- Story Text: Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi won a crucial vote of confidence on Friday (October 14), giving his struggling, scandal-plagued centre-right government a new, but probably short, lease of life.
Berlusconi won the vote 316 in favour, 301 against. The result was in doubt until the last minute and even some centre-right members expressed uncertainty and nervousness before the vote on whether the government would pull through.
The situation was so tense that some in the centre-right went into last-minute horse-trading meetings with Berlusconi, who is trying to contain a rebellion in his coalition. There was even doubt until the last minute if the quorum making the vote valid existed since some in the opposition boycotted the roll-call vote.
"I have to say it is a great political victory, it's the second time the 14th of the month is unlucky for the centre-left," Berlusconi supporter, parliamentarian Osvaldo Napoli said.
"December 14 and today, the 14th, it is the second time they try to tactically defeat the government and the second time they fail," Napoli said, referring to the two confidence votes the Berlusconi government has now won.
As the result was announced protestors outside the parliament launched eggs and shouted. A heavy showing of riot police was on hand in case things got out of hand.
"The Head of State said the Prime Minister had to show his ability to govern, with just one vote more you can't govern, you can't go anywhere," opposition parliamentarian Antonio di Pietro.
"This government can not govern in this moment, neither the government nor parliament, and I think we need to find some kind of solution before the social desperation changes from egg throwing to baton weilding," di Pietro said.
"We'll see you in the streets tomorrow" yelled the protestors at the police outside the parliament. Thousands of people are expected to gather in Rome on Saturday (October 15) to protest against the government's handling of the economic crisis. Similar protests will be taking place in over seventy other countries around the world.
The prime minister's administration has been plagued by scandals, economic stagnation and intense pressure from financial markets.
Berlusconi was forced to call the vote after his divided centre-right government suffered a major embarrassment when it failed to pass a routine budget provision on Tuesday (October 11).
He was due to hold a cabinet meeting immediately after the vote to re-present the budget measure defeated on Tuesday, which Berlusconi said was just an "accident" because some parliamentarians were absent. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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