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Italy's Prime Minister Mario Draghi
Photo: Pierre Teyssot / AFP
Italy's government may be on the verge of collapse.
Prime Minister Mario Draghi won an important vote in the Senate in the afternoon.
However, the co-governing five-star movement stayed away from the vote - and thus de facto deprived Draghi of confidence.
A break in Draghi's left-right coalition is now considered likely.
Draghi had previously announced his resignation several times should the Five Star Movement break up the coalition.
The Senate - the smaller chamber in Italy's two-chamber parliament - voted 172 votes in favor of a billion-dollar aid decree, which was linked to a vote of confidence.
39 MPs voted against.
However, shortly after the vote, hardly anyone was interested anymore.
Draghi immediately went to meet President Sergio Mattarella.
How does President Mattarella decide?
Mattarella now has an important role to play.
He could persuade Draghi to remain in office and face another no-confidence vote in the next few days.
Or he could appoint an interim prime minister before the regular general election in the first half of next year.
The election could be brought forward to autumn.
This would be unusual, however, because this is the time when the budget, which has to be approved by the end of the year, is traditionally prepared.
In the EU, developments in Italy are being followed with concern and astonishment, said Economy Commissioner and former Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni.
At the present time, cohesion and stability are necessary.
The government crisis had been looming for days.
The five-star movement around Draghi's predecessor Giuseppe Conte had already announced that it wanted to stay away from the vote.
The decree provides billions in aid and investments for families and companies.
But the five stars demand more money.
Conte also sees demands such as the introduction of a minimum wage not being met.
“We are absolutely ready for dialogue in order to make our constructive contribution to the government and to Draghi.
But we are not prepared to issue a blank check," Conte said before the vote.
slue/dpa
