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Italy’s new government faces first confidence vote amid protests

Italy's new pro-Europe government faced a confidence vote in the lower house of parliament on Monday, as protesters from the hard-right opposition rallied in Rome.

Published: 9 September 2019 11:40 CEST
Italy's new government faces first confidence vote amid protests
Italy's 'Conte Two' government faces confidence votes by both houses of parliament. Photo: Andreas Solaro/AFP

The coalition of the anti-establishment Five Star Movement and centre-left Democratic Party was expected to easily win, and will then face another vote on Tuesday in the upper house.

Demonstrators from the anti-immigration League and smaller far-right Brothers of Italy party protested in front of parliament, with some performing right-arm fascist salutes while others held up banners reading “Not in my name”.


Protesters outside parliament on Monday. Photo: Filippo Monteforte/AFP

The results of the vote are not expected until late on Monday.

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte was set to outline the new government's 29-point programme, including potential reforms to Italy's controversial immigration law, brought in by previous interior minister Matteo Salvini.

READ ALSO: How will Italy's new government approach immigration?

Conte is expected to usher in a “season of reforms” under a spirit of “new humanism” which hopes to row back a season of bitter fighting and anti-immigrant propaganda under the previous tie-up between the Five Star (M5S) and Salvini's League.

The programme will focus on improving the lives of the poor and disadvantaged, from income support for the lowest earners to help for the disabled and earthquake victims, as well as tackling inequalities in the workplace, the housing crisis, and the mafia.

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte (C) preparing to address parliament on Monday. Photo: Andreas Solaro/AFP

The most pressing dossier on the table is the 2020 budget. Conte will visit Brussels on Wednesday to mend ties after the fall of Rome's anti-EU coalition, and begin negotiations with the European Commission for greater flexibility for debt-laden Italy.

The markets have so far welcomed the new left-leaning coalition. Milan's FTSE Mib was up slightly ahead of Conte's speech. On Friday rating agency Moody's left unchanged its rating on Italy's sovereign debt at 'Baa3', with a stable outlook.

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POLITICS

Italian PM Meloni’s ally gets EU Commission vice president job

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday named Raffaele Fitto, a member of PM Giorgia Meloni's Brothers of Italy party, executive vice president in the next European Commission, sparking concern among centre-left lawmakers.

Published: 17 September 2024 11:34 CEST
Italian PM Meloni's ally gets EU Commission vice president job

Fitto, 55, will be in charge of “cohesion and reforms” and become one of von der Leyen’s key lieutenants in the European Union’s executive body, despite concerns from EU lawmakers on the left and in the centre.

“He will be responsible for the portfolio dealing with cohesion policy, regional development and cities,” von der Leyen told a press conference.

Writing on X, Meloni called the choice of Fitto, a member of her Brothers of Italy party, “an important recognition that confirms the newfound central role of our nation in the EU”.

“Italy is finally back as a protagonist in Europe,” she added.

Currently Italy’s European affairs minister, Fitto knows Brussels well and is widely regarded as one of the more moderate faces of Meloni’s government.

But as a member of her party, which once called for Rome to leave the eurozone, his potential appointment to such a powerful post had sparked alarm ahead of von der Leyen’s official announcement.

Centrist French MEP Valerie Hayer described it as “untenable” and Fitto is likely to face a stormy confirmation hearing before the European Parliament.

“Italy is a very important country and one of our founding members, and this has to reflect in the choice,” von der Leyen said of his nomination.

READ ALSO: EU chief to hand economy vice-president job to Italian PM Meloni’s party

Fitto was elected three times to the European Parliament before joining Meloni’s administration in 2022, when was charged with managing Italy’s share of the EU’s vast post-Covid recovery plan.

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