Italian Premier Renzi's government survives confidence vote on labor votes in raucous debate
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Italian Premier Matteo Renzi listens during a press conference at the EU jobs summit in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2014. European leaders have debated ways to find work for the continent's 25 million unemployed at a summit Wednesday, as popular frustration grows at authorities' failure to return the continent's economy to health. Several thousand union activists protested outside the venue, demanding a stop to government spending austerity policies and calling for reforms to encourage investment. (AP Photo/Felice Calabro') (The Associated Press)
Italian Premier Matteo Renzi's government has survived a confidence vote on labor reforms in the Senate after a raucous debate that degenerated into scuffles.
Renzi on Thursday declared he was "very satisfied" with the 165-111 vote in favor of labor reforms viewed as key to relaunching the country's economy. Germany's chancellor called it "an important step in the right direction" during a jobs creation summit in Milan on Wednesday.
The most contentious part of the reforms includes eroding some job protections and tightening access to funds for workers on temporary layoffs during economic slowdowns. During the debate, a center-left senator was injured in a scuffle and a dissenting lawmaker launched the parliamentary rule book at the Senate president.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The measure goes to the lower house for approval by next month.