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POLITICS

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.

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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TERRORISM

Italy on maximum terror alert over Easter after Moscow attack

Italy was to increase surveillance in busy areas ahead of the Easter holidays and following the bombing of a Moscow concert hall, ministers agreed on Monday.

Italy on maximum terror alert over Easter after Moscow attack

Italy’s national committee for public security, chaired by Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi, on Monday said anti-terrorism monitoring in Italy must be strengthened ahead of the Easter holidays, with more surveillance to be carried out at popular tourist spots and at “sensitive sites”.

The committee agreed on “the importance of continuing monitoring activity, including online, by police and intelligence forces for the identification of possible risk situations” in Italy, reported news agency Ansa.

The security meeting was convened following the terrorist attack in Moscow on Friday where armed men opened fire and set the building ablaze, killing at least 133 people.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani had stressed to the public on Sunday that Italy faced “no concrete risk” and said the country’s security and law enforcement services were “always on the alert to prevent any attack.”

“During the Easter holidays you will need to be very careful. We will always do the utmost to ensure the safety of citizens and tourists,” Tajani said, speaking on national broadcaster Rai’s current affairs show Restart.

READ ALSO: Terror alerts: Should I be worried about travelling to Italy?

The fight against terrorism “has nothing to do with the war in Ukraine,” the minister continued.

“We support Ukraine” as an invaded country in which international law has been violated, he said, “but as the Italian government we have expressed our condemnation of the attack [in Moscow] and closeness to the families of the victims and the survivors”.

Cabinet Secretary Alfredo Mantovano said on the same programme that the main terrorist threat Italy faced at the moment was mainly from “lone wolves” and “not so much from organised groups.”

“I believe that a group like the one that acted in the Moscow attack, which must have been trained and had logistical support, would be intercepted sooner in Italy,” he said.

“The most worrying threat” in Italy was online recruitment, he said, noting that propaganda was closely monitored.

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