Renzi Criticizes Italian Parliament in First Speech to Senate

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, in his first speech to parliament, criticized lawmakers for failing to stimulate economic recovery and blaming their problems on European Union fiscal rules.

Italians must embrace budget discipline out of respect for future generations, not because it pleases German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Renzi, 39, said in the Senate, one of the two houses of parliament. He halted the speech twice to exchange barbs with lawmakers and set the tone early with a greeting that made a reference to his plan to speed legislation by stripping the Senate of much of its power.