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Monti set for second confidence vote
The technocrat government of Italian Prime Minster Mario Monti is set to face a crucial confidence vote in the lower house of parliament, the BBC reported.
Monti's plans to relieve the economic crisis in Italy include and overhaul of the pension system, a crackdown on tax evasion and mafia activity and the re-introduction of property tax on houses classed as first homes
Monti easily won a vote in the upper house - the Senate - on Thursday, widely regarded as his first test since becoming leader.
Observers say his government is expected to find similar support in the Chambers of Deputies.
On Thursday, he outlined reforms to tackle the country's economic problems.
Monti is under considerable pressure to act quickly after Italy's borrowing costs again reached unsustainable levels, despite dropping to safer territory early this week following his appointment.
He was sworn in on Sunday to lead a government of experts - including fellow professors, bankers and businessmen - after the country's worsening financial crisis forced out veteran leader Silvio Berlusconi.
A BBC correspondent in Rome says almost all the major political parties have signalled that - at least for now - they will support Monti's administration.
But, he added, Silvio Berlusconi retains substantial support in parliament, and he has reportedly said that he will bring down the new government if he does not like the path it takes.
On Thursday, the government won the vote in the upper house of parliament easily, by 281 votes to 25.
Only one party, the right-wing Northern League - Berlusconi's former coalition partner - withheld its support from Monti.
Addressing senators on Thursday, Mario Monti promised to respect Italy's timetable to balance its budget by 2013 and reduce its debt, but said austerity measures would be balanced by economic growth and social fairness.
Monti said he intended to overhaul the pension system which he said "has large disparities in treatment and unjustified privileges for certain sectors".
He also said there would be a crackdown on tax evasion and changes to the taxation system.
He said the absence of a locally gathered property tax on houses classed as first homes was an Italian "anomaly". The tax - known in Italy as the ICI tax - was abolished under Berlusconi.
He added that his government would introduce incentives for companies to employ more women and young people.
He said economic growth would also involve a crackdown on the Mafia.
But the unelected leader has already faced widespread protests, by people angry at growing unemployment and further austerity.
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Mr Monti you fail to understand that what you are looking at is the demolition of the European model.You think that Italians are like this,and Greeks are like that the same,namely untamable people,by birth perhaps.They dont like the Taxman.There will be mass violent revolt soon.
