Italy’s new coalition government has won the support of the country’s bicameral parliament. The coalition––between the anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S) and the centre-left Democratic Party (PD)––faced confidence votes in the Italian Chamber of Deputies and Senate on the 9th and 10th of September, respectively.

The Vote

• Lower House: Deputies voted 343-263 in favour of the coalition.
• Upper House: Senators voted 169-133 in favour of the coalition.

Challenges

While Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte was outlining his policy plan before the vote in the lower house, supporters of the opposition League and Brothers of Italy party were staging a protest to demand fresh elections.

Conte is currently on his second mandate as prime minister after the collapse of the ill-fated 14-month coalition between M5S and the League, in which he was the prime minister.

Matteo Salvini, leader of the League Party ended the alliance citing policy differences and called for fresh elections. Critics say he hoped to take advantage of his rising popularity among voters to get enough votes to become premier. This plan took a hit when former political foes M5S and PD agreed to form a government.

Conte wants to put the past behind and reform Italy. According to the Guardian, Conte “pledged that the coalition would be less antagonistic and more respectful than the previous one.”

He also promised “more investment and a better economy and to work with Brussels to reform budget and immigration laws,” in his address to the lower house on Monday. 

Challenges Ahead

Salvini, whose League Party is the biggest in Italy, is not renouncing his calls for fresh elections. He has held several rallies across the country over the past week and has called for a demonstration to be held in Rome in October, the Guardianreported.

Many analysts have also cast doubt over the longevity of the new coalition as the two were political enemies in Italy’s very recent history.