Amato survives chaotic day of taunts and insults

ROME - The Italian parliament's lower house yesterday endorsed Giuliano Amato's government after a rowdy debate on the corruption scandals rocking Italy's political and business worlds.

There were chaotic scenes earlier in the day as opposition members shouted down Mr Amato, the Prime Minister, while the political fallout from the country's bribery scandal spread relentlessly. 'Resign, resign' - chanted furious deputies of the neo-fascist Italian Social Movement, while the separatist Northern League dangled a hangman's noose at government benches.

Ushers in the lower house had to intervene to stop MPs coming to blows as Mr Amato wound up the emotionally- charged debate, dominated by the government's failed attempt earlier this month to offer corrupt politicians leniency.

The opposition says the Amato plan amounted to a whitewash for the many politicians caught taking bribes in exchange for awarding lucrative public works contracts. Mr Amato has defended it as the only realistic way of dealing with the huge scandal.

The debate ended in a shouting match even more unruly than that which turned the Senate (upper house) into a battleground last week. The chanting neo-fascists, including Benito Mussolini's granddaughter Alessandra, held up multi-coloured sponges and white cleaning gloves, symbols of their protest.

'Put down those objects, honourable colleagues,' screamed the speaker, Giorgio Napolitano, in vain. He ordered ushers to confiscate the sponges but the MPs refused to give them up.

One of the MSI deputies, Filippo Berselli, was expelled from the chamber and left a pink sponge on Mr Amato's desk. Other neo-fascist MPs clapped and cheered.

As chaos intensified, a member of the separatist Northern Leagues, Luca Orsenigo, stood up and waved a hangman's noose in the air. Ushers then had to intervene to stop members of the League and the Christian Democrats from coming to blows.

When the speaker threatened Mr Orsenigo with expulsion, all the League MPs abandoned the chamber. As the uproar spread, a neo-fascist MP held up a large banner reading 'Thieves Out', before he too was expelled.

Between interruptions, Mr Amato said it was parliament's duty to find a compromise between the demands of justice and 'a long, tiring season of never-ending trials'. He defended his leniency plan and said Italy faced a period 'full of tension and the risk of an authentic break-up.' 'We can save this republic of ours by changing it, not through trauma but through efficient reform,' he said.

Renato Altissimo, whose Liberal Party is a junior partner in the ruling coalition, yesterday became the third party leader in just over a month to quit because of the scandal. He strongly denied taking bribes after being officially advised he was under investigation.

Bettino Craxi, a former Socialist prime minister, resigned last month over the inquiry and Giorgio La Malfa, the former Republican leader, also stepped down after being accused of failing to disclose campaign fund contributions.