Italian senate to vote on Monti's austerity plans

Italy's senate is due to hold a confidence vote on austerity measures planned by Prime Minister Mario Monti. They include spending cuts, tax rises and pension reforms. The measures have already passed in the lower house. While all political parties have reservations about aspects of the programme, it is thought the measures are likely to get through. Mr Monti leads a government of technocrats tasked with leading Italy out of its debt crisis. The new prime minister, who took over from Silvio Berlusconi last month in response to the crisis, says that without the measures Italy would face economic disaster like that which has affected Greece. Mr Monti calls the austerity cuts his plan to "save Italy". The package of reforms passed through the lower house, the Chamber of Deputies, by a large margin on Friday. The former EU commissioner has broad support in parliament: the two main parties feel they cannot sabotage the bill for fear of unleashing economic catastrophe, analysts say. Silvio Berlusconi has said his centre-right PDL party would back the government out of a sense of responsibility, not because it agreed with the sacrifices being asked of Italians. The BBC's Alan Johnston in Rome says that Mr Monti can expect to face mounting opposition to his plans, particularly from the unions. They believe that too many sacrifices are being demanded of poorer families and pensioners, and that the wealthy are not sharing enough of the burden, he reports.