Italy's Draghi wins confidence votes on justice reforms

Premier Mario Draghi’s government has easily won two confidence votes  from Italian lawmakers, securing approval in Parliament’s lower chamber for a key justice system reforms

ROME -- Premier Mario Draghi's government easily won two confidence votes early Tuesday, securing approval from lawmakers in Parliament's lower chamber for a key justice system overhaul that Italy needs as part of reforms to help secure generous pandemic recovery funds from the European Union. Following debate, in back-to-back confidence votes, the Chamber of Deputies by a wide margin approved two key articles of the bill. The first article passed by a vote of 462 to 55, while the second was approved 458 to 46 with one lawmaker abstaining. The Chamber of Deputies planned one final vote on the entire package later Tuesday, but that wasn't being tied to a confidence vote. The Senate is expected to start work on the bill in September to complete passage. Working to help assure the bill would safely move through the lower chamber was Giuseppe Conte, the former premier who is aiming for formal investiture as leader of the populist 5-Star Movement. He told reporters Monday that deputies from the movement, Parliament's largest party, would overcome differing views among their ranks on the reforms to vote in favor.