Italian PM Draghi wins confidence vote, but three parties snub motion

ROME – Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi won a confidence motion in the upper house Senate on Wednesday, but three main coalition parties refused to take part in the vote, effectively torpedoing his administration.

The motion asked the house to approve a speech made by Draghi earlier in the day, when he demanded unity from his coalition allies. The vote was approved by 95 to 38 with many dozens of senators absenting themselves.

(Reporting by Angelo Amante and Giuseppe Fonte; Editing by Crispian Balmer)