Letta's Italian govt passes 1st confidence vote

ROME — Italian Premier Enrico Letta's reconstituted governing coalition comfortably survived a confidence vote yesterday in Parliament's lower house after Silvio Berlusconi jumped to the opposition.

The Letta government won the 379-212 vote with the support of a new center-right party that split from Berlusconi, but faces a tighter vote in the Senate later yesterday.

In a speech to the lower Chamber of Deputies, Letta called for a "new start" and outlined his priorities for 2014, including stimulating the economy, reducing unemployment and reforming Italy's electoral law, which many view as contributing to Italy's political instability.

Letta took power seven months ago after no party won a secure majority in the Senate, forcing an uneasy coalition of long-time political foes. Berlusconi failed to bring down the government on Oct. 2, after party dissidents refused his call to yank support. Berlusconi shifted his party to the opposition last month after the Senate yanked his seat due to his tax fraud conviction.

"I have always considered this experience as a passage from a situation of conflict between toxic enemies to a system of healthy competition between adversaries," Letta said.

Still there were signs of tension during Letta's address. He took on the leader of the anti-establishment 5 Star Movement, Beppe Grillo, for having invited police officers to refuse protection to Italian politicians being targeted in grass-roots protests cropping around Italy.

Letta said institutions must command respect "even more so during bitter periods" and warned against infusing politics with "illegitimate actions and words that endorse violence."