ROME – Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte worked to solidify his majority in parliament Wednesday after narrowly winning a Senate confidence vote after a junior coalition ally yanked his support over Conte’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic.Conte was expected to brief President Sergio Mattarella on his prospects to keep governing, though the timing was uncertain.
With a reduced majority, Conte will have to cobble together support from outside the current coalition to pass legislation, including aid to help Italy’s pandemic-battered economy.Conte’s government on Tuesday survived what amounted to a confidence vote with a 156-to-140 win, with 16 abstentions.