Italian Premier Mario Draghi has won a confidence vote in the Senate but the future of his pandemic unity government was in doubt after the populist 5-Star Movement boycotted the vote, throwing his coalition into crisis.
The vote was 172-39 on a relief Bill to help Italians facing soaring energy costs, but 5-Stars senators were absent after confirming they would not participate in the vote.
Mr Draghi was expected to meet later on Thursday with President Sergio Mattarella to decide on the next steps, including a possible offer to resign.
Mr Draghi had repeatedly made it clear that the populists were among the coalition partners that signed up to be part of his government last year and that he would not continue without them.
Mr Mattarella could accept or reject any resignation by Mr Draghi.
The president could also ask Mr Draghi to go before parliament in the coming days to seek a formal vote on the government itself, to see if the ranks of squabbling allies would rally around him.
Parliament’s term expires in spring 2023.
If Mr Mattarella cannot come up with a solution so Mr Draghi’s government can continue, he is expected to dissolve the legislature and call an early election, which could come as early as late September.
Mr Mattarella had tapped the former European Central Bank chief, known as “Super Mario” for his “whatever it takes” rescue of the euro, to pull Italy out of the coronavirus pandemic and lay the groundwork to make use of billions in European recovery funds.
The 5-Stars had joined a broad coalition of national unity that included parties on the right and the left.
But the 5-Stars party, which has lost significant support in recent years, has been complaining that its interests have been ignored.
In the measure voted on on Thursday, the 5-Stars opposed a provision of the Bill to allow Rome to operate a waste incinerator on the outskirts of the chronically rubbish-choked Italian capital.
The waste provision was just part of a Bill that reduces taxes on petrol and diesel fuel, as well as extends utility bill relief, but 5-Star leader Giuseppe Conte had cited the waste provision in announcing late on Wednesday his legislators would boycott the vote.
In the debate, several senators blasted Mr Conte’s decision.
Being in a government “is not like picking up a menu and deciding, antipasto, no, gelato, yes”, said Emma Bonino, who leads a tiny pro-Europe party.
Others noted that Mr Draghi had increasingly become a pivotal figure in Europe, while Russia wages war against Ukraine, especially with the impending departure of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
An ally of centre-right leader Silvio Berlusconi, the former Italian premier, argued in the Senate that a collapse of Mr Draghi’s government could trigger “the destabilisation of Europe”.
“You’d be doing a favour to (Russian President Vladimir) Putin,” thundered Senator Antonio Saccone against the 5-Stars.
Mr Draghi has governed with the support of virtually all of Italy’s main parties, with the exception of the fast-rising far-right Brothers of Italy party, which is demanding that Mr Mattarella pull the plug on parliament and give Italians their say at the ballot box.
Among Mr Draghi’s achievements has been keeping Italy on track with reforms that the European Union has made a condition for the country to receive 200 billion euros (£169 billion) in pandemic recovery assistance.
