Italian Senate Approves New Populist Government
Italy's prime minister on Tuesday won the first of two votes to confirm his government in office, after calling in his maiden policy speech for "obligatory" redistribution of asylum seekers around the EU and a review of sanctions against Russia.
The alliance between the anti-establishment Five Star Movement and the far-right League gained the Senate's endorsement with 171 votes in favour, 117 against and 25 abstentions.
The coalition will now seek final parliamentary approval on Wednesday from the country's Chamber of Deputies, where it also holds a majority.
The eurosceptic government, led by political novice Giuseppe Conte, was sworn in on Friday after almost three months of political turmoil that alarmed EU officials and spooked financial markets.
During his speech to the Senate ahead of the vote, Conte reaffirmed several of the coalition's key manifesto themes, including a tough line on migrants, rejection of economic austerity and conciliatory gestures towards Moscow.
The 53-year-old also reiterated his government's intention to stay in the EU and defended its "populist" and "anti-establishment" labels.
"If populism is the attitude of a ruling class which listens to the needs of the people and anti-establishment means aiming to introduce a new system that removes old privileges... then the political forces that support this government deserve both these labels," he said to senators.
Source: Agence France Presse
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