By Nick Squires, Rome
8:54PM GMT 17 Nov 2011
Protests and violence broke out on the streets of cities in Italy and Greece on Thursday as new governments in both countries pressed forward with unpopular austerity measures and economic reforms demanded by the European Union.
Clashes between police and protesters erupted in Italy as the newly-sworn in prime minister, Mario Monti, laid out his plans to slash the country's 1.9 trillion euro debt and stimulate growth.
In Milan, riot police used their batons against students who spray-painted shops and banks and threw firecrackers.
The students, protesting against cuts to the education budget, had hoped to march on Milan's Bocconi University, which is headed by Mr Monti, a professor of economics, and is considered the training ground for Italy's banking and financial elite.
They waved placards protesting against what they called a "bankers' government" and chanted "We don't want the banks to rule".
The new industry minister in Mr Monti's government is Corrado Passera, the chief executive of Italy's largest retail bank.
There were also protests and clashes in Rome, Turin and Palermo, Sicily, in the first display of opposition to the new government since Mr Monti was nominated as Mr Berlusconi's replacement on Sunday.
In Rome, a large crowd of demonstrators, many of them students, threw eggs, tomatoes and oranges at ranks of Carabinieri police guarding the Senate, where Mr Monti was giving his address and later faced a confidence vote, which he was expected to win.
In Turin, riot police sustained several injuries as they held back protesters trying to break through barriers.
In Palermo, demonstrators threw smoke bombs and eggs at a bank and rocks at police.
Across the Ionian Sea, Greek riot police fired tear gas against demonstrators taking part in a march in Athens.
The trouble came a day after a national unity government led by technocrat Lucas Papademos took office, charged with implementing tax increases and public spending in order to prevent Greece from crashing into default.
More than 50,000 people marched through the capital, banging drums and chanting "EU, IMF out" in a challenge to Mr Papademos's fractious coalition, which is made up of three parties.
Masked youths threw petrol bombs and stones at police, in what has become a familiar pattern of confrontation in the Greek capital over the past two years.
Unions claim that a wide-ranging package of cuts designed to cut the country's 370 billion euro debt, which amounts to 160 per cent of GDP, is sending Greece into a "death spiral".
Many Greeks say the new government lacks legitimacy because it was not elected. "This government is unconstitutional, we have not voted for it," said Vassilis Papadopoulos, 49, a bank employee. "It does not represent us."
The new Italian administration, which replaced Silvio Berlusconi after he stepped down as prime minister last weekend, was not elected either and consists of academics, lawyers and bankers, most of them unknown to the average Italian.
But many people are sick of their politicians and have welcomed the new line-up, which is due to govern until elections are due in 2013.
"I think things will be better under Monti – they certainly can't be worse," said Marco, 42, who runs a news-stand near Largo Argentina in central Rome. "Politicians in this country are sharks – they eat everything."
Eurozone crisis: protests and violence on the streets in Italy and Greece - Telegraph
