90 hurt in riots as Berlusconi wins vote

AT least 90 people were injured when violent protests erupted in Rome after Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi won back-to-back confidence votes in parliament, narrowly surviving one of his toughest political challenges.

Riot police had to use tear gas to try to stop angry demonstrators from torching cars, smashing windows and clashing with police. Inside parliament’s lower house, tensions boiled over as lawmakers pushed and shoved each other, forcing a brief suspension in the voting.

About 50 police officers and 40 demonstrators were injured in the rioting.