Italy’s new prime minister, Paolo Gentiloni, easily won a Senate confidence vote on Wednesday despite a boycott from opposition parties but his government is expected to be shortlived as pressure builds for new elections to be held in early 2017.

Mr Gentiloni told the Senate that he had faith in the upper house even though he had backed a controversial Constitutional reform that would have scrapped the chamber and forced his predecessor Matteo Renzi to resign.

The confidence vote was approved 169-99 with no abstentions a day after being passed by the lower house but several parties boycotted the vote.

"You know that I agreed with the constitutional reform that was approved many times in this chamber," Mr Gentiloni said. "But you also know what the Italian people decided with a clear vote in the referendum. I ask for your confidence and I express my confidence in the Senate".