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Violence erupts as Berlusconi secures confidence vote
Violent protests erupted in the streets of Rome Tuesday, after Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi won a critical confidence vote in parliament that thinly secured his political leadership.
Protesters in the Italian capital who feel let down by Berlusconi's government set cars on fire, threw smoke bombs and threw stones at riot police, who fought back with tear gas and truncheons.
Television pictures show bloodied faces of protesters and initial reports say at least 20 people were injured.
Tens of thousands of anti-Berlusconi demonstrators gathered in cities across Italy before the prime minister won the confidence vote by a razor-thin majority of three votes in the lower house.
Mr. Berlusconi would have been forced to resign mid-way through his current five-year term if he had not secured the votes.