Brief respite as Berlusconi wins confidence vote

ITALIAN Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi overcame coalition infighting to win a vote of confidence, his first parliamentary test since suffering two stinging electoral losses.

Berlusconi’s centre-right government won the lower house vote on measures to boost growth by a margin of 24 votes, thanks to its Northern League ally that is reluctantly supporting him after defeat in referendums and local polls over the past month.

The motion passed with 317 deputies voting in favour and 293 against. Two lawmakers abstained.