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Riots break out in Rome as Berlusconi wins vote ROME (Associated Press) -
Violent protests have erupted in Rome after Premier Silvio Berlusconi won back-to-back confidence votes in parliament, narrowly surviving one of his toughest political challenges yet.

Riot police had to use tear gas to try to stop angry demonstrators from torching cars, smashing windows and clashing with police.

Inside parliament's lower house, tensions boiled over as lawmakers pushed and shoved each other, forcing a brief suspension in the voting.

Ultimately, Berlusconi survived the lower house's no-confidence motion by just three votes. He had secured a more comfortable victory in a confidence vote at the Senate earlier in the day.
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