Jobs Act passes confidence vote
ROME – The result was “a huge step forward” said Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, as vocal opponents of the act were defeated 165 votes to 111.
There were chaotic scenes in parliament prior to the vote, which eventually took place in the early hours of Thursday morning. Members of the anti-establishment Five Stars Movement and the nationalist party Lega Nord occupied government benches and threw paper and books at Senate President Pietro Grasso.
Following the incident the Five Stars Movement distanced themselves from the disruption, denying responsibility. The Lega Nord leader Gian Marco Centinaio, who was the instigator of the book throwing, blamed his actions on the heat of the moment, he said “I threw [the book], it’s true, but I didn’t want to hurt him, I have good aim and I knew I wouldn’t hit him.”
Renzi condemned the disturbances, saying “Italians are tired of the scenes made by some MPs, the throwing of books was disappointing. These are sad images for citizens who will be asking themselves, what’s the point?”
The Premier was particularly pleased with the large margin the vote was won by, with only two abstentions. The choice to bring the act to a confidence vote was a risky one, as it is likely the government would have collapsed in the event of a loss.
The controversy caused by the Jobs Act centres around the removal of unfair dismissal rights for newly-hired workers. The new act would abolish temporary contracts by introducing a single type of labour contract, which affords employees more protection the longer they remain in the job.
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