The Lower House on Wednesday gave
final to the government's bill for 'differentiated autonomy'
after a marathon parliamentary session that went on throughout
the night.
The controversial measure was passed into law with 172 votes in
favour, 99 against and one abstention.
The law will enable regions to request more power over how the
tax revenues collected in their areas are spent.
Opposition parties say it will worsen Italy's north-south
divide.
It is one of several reforms by Premier Giorgia Meloni's
executive that the opposition are fiercely contesting.
Another, the government move to introduce the direct election of
the premier by the Italian people, completed its first passage
through the Senate on Tuesday and has passed to the House.
Meloni says it will boost democracy and stability, but
opposition parties say it could lead to an authoritarian drift.
Most of the Italian opposition parties staged a rally in Rome on
Tuesday to "defend national unity" in the face of these reforms
and also to protest against alleged "violence and intimidation"
by the ruling coalition after an MP for the 5-Star Movement
(M5S) needed medical attention following a brawl in the House
last week.
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