Conte wins first confidence vote and sets out Eu-friendly agenda

GIUSEPPE CONTE, the Italian prime minister, won support for his new coalition from politicians in a confidence vote last night as he unveiled an agenda focused on warmer relations with Brussels.

It came as Matteo Salvini, the head of Italy’s far-right League party, addressed protesters against the new government. Mr Salvini, who gained a reputation as a controversial interior minister in the previous administration and was excluded from the new coalition, said: “We will be a serious opposition, in parliament but also among the people.”

Supporters of the anti-migrant League as well as of the extreme-right Brothers of Italy protested close to parliament, with some performing the fascist salute.

“Today, a part of Italy, I think they’re the majority in the country, took to the streets to demand an election,” Mr Salvini said.

Mr Conte addressed the lower house of parliament on his new coalition, which is made up of the anti-establishment Five Star Movement and the centre-left Democratic Party (PD), which last month clinched an uneasy tie-up in a last-ditch attempt to avoid snap polls.

This was the first of two key confidence votes needed before Mr Conte’s new cabinet can be installed. The vote in the lower house passed easily, as the ruling coalition enjoys a comfortable majority. The outcome will be less certain in the senate, which votes today.

Mr Conte used his speech, which was interrupted by both applause and booing, to outline the central role Italy wants to regain in Europe and a new conciliatory relationship with Brussels, which may lead to a new approach to economic and migration policies.

The PD and the Five Star Movement have been bitterly fighting over the past year and will have to work together if they want Mr Conte’s second mandate to last.

The PM asked the two rival parties to work together to bring Italy back to “sustainable growth”.