Italian PM Letta wins first leg of confidence vote

ROME (Reuters) - Italy's Prime Minister Enrico Letta won a confidence vote in parliament's lower chamber on Wednesday after urging lawmakers to back his government or risk chaos

Opening a debate before his third confidence vote since October, he said Italy had avoided reforms for 20 years and could no longer afford to delay, with protests across the country this week underlining the bitter public mood after years of painful attempts to squeeze costs and boost revenues.