Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta's government won a confidence vote on Wednesday called to speed the passage of a bill to fund public works projects and cut red tape.

The lower house of parliament voted 427 to 167 in favour of the bill, which now must be approved by the Senate before it can become law. The vote was called to end debate on 800 proposed amendments and ease the bill's passage.

It is the second time Letta has staked the fate of the government on a parliamentary confidence vote since he took office at the head of a fractious right-left majority in April.