The final vote of the Chamber was also in favor of the Maneuver Monti: the text was approved with 402 yes, 75 no and 22 abstentions. In the early afternoon, Montecitorio had given the green light to the question of confidence placed by the Government on the measure with 495 votes in favour, 88 against and four abstentions (all from the PDL).
In the evening, before the final vote on the measure, Prime Minister Mario Monti spoke in Montecitorio, emphasizing the sense of responsibility shown by the political forces and remarking that, if it does not fail, "Italy will be saved". The prime minister then replied to his predecessor, Silvio Berlusconi, who on Thursday had foreseen a rapid crisis for the new government: “I don't feel absolutely desperate – Monti said looking at the Knight -. I have no reason to despair."
As for President Giorgio Napolitano, he acknowledged that the Monti government is the right response to the crisis, despite "the severe and courageous choices" that the country has to face.
Once the first round in the House is over, the decree will pass under examination by the Senate for the second reading. The work on Palazzo Madama should be completed in a very short time: the definitive ok is expected for December 23, naturally without any changes to the text.
Today's vote was taken for granted, but important indications emerge from the final outcome for the Government. The tension that has been putting the balance of Parliament at risk for days has been reflected in the numbers: compared to the vote of confidence last November 18, on the occasion of his inauguration, the Executive lost 61 votes along the way (from 556 to 495).
A trend that does not bode well for the continuation of the legislature. At the moment, however, the only one who has certainties seems to be Umberto Bossy. To those who asked him if Monti will be able to reach 2013, the leader of the League gave one of his picturesque utterances: "Are you crazy?!".
In addition to the Carroccio and the IDV deputies (excluding Cambursano), Alessandra Mussolini, Domenico Scilipoti, three deputies from the Greater South, two of the linguistically impaired and the pidiellino Giorgio Stracquadanio also voted against.
A separate chapter is that of absences: 23 PDL deputies were missing, three from Fli and two from Pd, plus five from the Mixed Group and two from Popolo e Territorio. Among the excellent defections, those of Giulio Tremonti, Paolo Romani, Guido Crosetto, Pietro Lunardi and Antonio Martino. In short, the maneuver to oust Berlusconi's party from the Monti government seems to have begun.
