ROME: Italy’s populist government was racing Saturday to get a revised 2019 budget through parliament before year end despite complaints it was written by Brussels and being rammed through without debate.

Key measures in the big-spending budget have been watered down as the government tries to avoid being punished by the European Commission and the markets.

Senators passed the draft last week in a vote of confidence that avoided discussing around 700 amendments put forward by the anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S) and the anti-immigration League coalition but provoked acrimonious scenes over the lack of substantive debate.

Similar scenes were repeated on Friday in the lower house, where the session was suspended after copies of the budget were thrown around, and the government will again resort to a vote of confidence on Saturday or Sunday.

If next year’s budget is not passed before Dec 31, the government will continue to function on a monthly basis using the 2018 budget.

Published in Dawn, December 30th, 2018