The motion was rejected in a 221-29 vote.
"In recent months, I could have shifted the responsibility for the [COVID-19] restrictions onto the regions. But I have never done so and will never do. I have always cooperated with everyone without distinction and with maximum readiness because I think that one should not play politics with a terrifying pandemic in a big country," Speranza said in a morning speech, broadcast on YouTube.
13 April 2021, 13:22 GMT
The party's right-wing allies Forza Italia and Lega did not support the motion, as both are a part of the ruling coalition, unlike Fratelli d'Italia. They offer to set up a special commission to look into the health ministry's pandemic response.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, Italy has confirmed a total of 3,981,512 cases, including 119,912 fatalities.
