Premier Matteo Renzi's
government survived two no-confidence motions late on Tuesday
over an oil probe, the latest in a long series of such petitions
presented by oppositions groups to fail.
A motion filed by the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement
(M5S) was rejected by the Senate with 183 votes against and 96
in favour.
Another presented by centre-right opposition parties went
down with 180 votes against and 93 in favour.
The motions were filed in the wake of a probe into
alleged misconduct at oil and gas giant ENI plants in the
southern Basilicata region that includes people with connections
to the premier's administration.
The oilman boyfriend of former industry minister Federica
Guidi - who resigned earlier this month - is one of the suspects
in the investigation, which has led to both Guidi and Reform
Minister Maria Elena Boschi being questioned by prosecutors.
Guidi's boyfriend Gianluca Gemelli is being investigated
for corruption conspiracy and falsely claiming influence over a
public official in order to obtain bribes.
While neither Guidi nor Boschi are under investigation,
wiretaps emerged last month in which Guidi discussed with
Gemelli an amendment to a budget bill containing measures for
the development of the Tempa Rossa oil field in Italy's south,
which Boschi signed.
Renzi has always said the amendment was his, and on
Tuesday, he denied it was passed without proper debate.
Denis Verdini's small Liberal Popular Alliance -
Autonomies (ALA) group, which has recently given essential
backing to the government for key reforms, helped the executive
fend off the no-confidence motions.
Verdini is a former top aide of ex-premier Silvio
Berlusconi who recently split with the Forza Italia leader and
has several judicial headaches.
His frequent support of the government has caused
controversy, with a rebel minority within Renzi's centre-left
Democratic Party (PD) among the critics.
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