Italy's anti-migrant interior minister Matteo Salvini on Monday called on the lower house of parliament to swiftly back the populist government's contested immigration and security decree, which toughens asylum, anti-terrorism and anti-mafia rules.
"The immigration and security decree needs to be rapidly voted into law - for the good of Italians," Salvini told Adnkronos.
His comment came after 19 MPs from his ruling far-right League party's coalition partner the grassroots Five-Star Movement reportedly signed a letter demanding changes to the decree.
The Italian Senate upper house of parliament on 7 November approved the decree in a confidence motion with 163 votes in favour, 59 votes against and 19 abstentions.
League and Five-Star Movement Senators voted in favour while opposition centre-left Democratic Party and Free and Equal party voted against the bill, which now be approved by lower house of parliament.
Had the government lost the confidence motion, it would have been forced to resign.
Italy's president Sergio Mattarella approved the decree last month but in an accompanying letter to Italy's premier Giuseppe Conte, he wrote that "Constitutional and international State obligations" remained.
