The Italian Government fails to approve a budgetary measure in the Chamber of Deputies

ROME, 27 Apr. (DPA/EP) –

The Italian government, led by the far-right Giorgia Meloni, has suffered a surprising defeat on Thursday in a vote before the Chamber of Deputies on a budgetary measure by not reaching an absolute majority.

The measure has failed, with 195 votes in favor, due to the fact that numerous deputies from the center-right Italian coalition, led by Meloni, were absent, so the necessary threshold for its approval has not been reached.

The measure, rejected by just six votes and previously approved by the Senate, was aimed at reallocating 3.4 billion euros to reduce non-wage labor costs for nearly 14 million employees and self-employed workers in Italy, among other issues.

The Minister of Economy and Finance, Giancarlo Giorgetti, explained that the coalition deputies had “incorrectly” assessed the situation, referring to the numerous absences, many of them justified, although others with no apparent explanation.

After the vote — surprising given that in the recent past no economic plan of this type has failed — the coalition has convened an important Council of Ministers to assess the situation in the face of criticism from the Italian opposition, which has questioned the ability of the Executive.