Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini survives no-confidence vote

Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini has survived a largely symbolic no-confidence vote in parliament.

The far-right League party leader has been under fire for his suspected relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. 

He survived the censure motion easily in Rome on Wednesday, with 211 lawmakers supporting him, 129 voting against and three abstentions.

Salvini, who is also serving as the Transport Minister, is known for his conservative immigration policies.

The motion was brought forward by opposition parties who accused Salvini of not cutting ties with Putin after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Salvini previously signed a deal with Putin’s United Russia party in 2017, outlining that Salvini’s League party would collaborate on international relations, youth policies and economic development. The document was automatically renewed in March 2022.

Salvini has insisted this deal is no longer valid following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 

“As we have already reiterated, the purely political collaborative intentions of 2017 between the League and United Russia no longer have any value after the invasion of Ukraine,” he said. 

Several members of the European Parliament, of which Salvini was previously a member, have been accused of being paid to disseminate Russian propaganda via online media outlets.