Berlusconi survives key parliament vote

ROME - Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s government Tuesday narrowly won a key parliament confidence vote, staving off a demand for the premier’s resignation made by the centre-left opposition and a group of rebel conservatives.

The lower house Chamber of Deputies rejected by 314 votes against 311 a no-confidence motion tabled by the centre-left. There were two abstentions.

Earlier the upper house Senate approved by 162 votes for and 135 against a motion of confidence in the centre-right government.

Defeat in either house would have forced Berlusconi to resign.

Tuesday’s result however, leaves the 74-year-old premier with a much reduced parliamentary majority compared to the one he won in the 2008 general election.

Berlusconi has said that he will seek fresh elections if his coalition is unable to pass a series of laws including reforms to Italy’s judicial system.