Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi won a crucial confidence vote in parliament on Friday with a comfortable majority that is, however, unlikely to reassure markets or end growing calls for him to resign.
The ruling centre-right coalition won with 316 votes in favour and 301 against, following a series of rows within the government as well as growing criticism over Berlusconi’s handling of the economy at a volatile time on financial markets.
The centre-left “has behaved ignominiously in front of Italians and I hope Italians take this absolutely negative behaviour into account,” Berlusconi told reporters ahead of the vote, saying the opposition’s “ambush” would not work.