Berlusconi survives confidence vote

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's government survived a parliamentary confidence vote today, the 51st such test since 2008. Berlusconi's conservatives won in a 316-301 vote in Parliament's lower house, after days of tension. Before the vote, he made an impassioned plea in Parliament to keep his job, saying a political crisis would be catastrophic for the country.

"Early elections would not solve the problems we have. ... A political crisis now would mean victory for the party of decline, catastrophe and speculation," he said.

Meanwhile, over 100,000 demonstrators are expected in Rome on Saturday for a rally protesting the government.

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