Italian Senate backs austerity plan

Italy’s upper house of parliament tonight approved the government’s disputed austerity package aimed at reducing the country’s deficit by more than €54bn over three years.

The Senate voted 165-141 with three abstentions to approve the package, which was put to a confidence vote to ensure Premier Silvio Berlusconi’s allies united behind the government after weeks of bickering over details of the plan.

The package now goes to the lower Chamber of Deputies, where Berlusconi also maintains a majority.