Rome ( CNN ) -- After months of political uncertainty and economic crisis , the lower house of Italy 's parliament gave Prime Minister Enrico Letta 's new government a vote confidence on Monday . Letta received support from lawmakers in a 453-153 lower house vote . Lawmakers in the upper house , the Senate , are scheduled to vote on Tuesday . Letta was sworn in on Sunday -- the same day a gunman shot and wounded two national police officers outside the prime minister 's office . But Letta was being sworn in at the presidential palace a short distance away and was not present at the time of the shooting , state-run news agency ANSA said . Italy has been hampered by political uncertainty since February , when elections left none of the candidates with enough support to form a government . Letta , a center-left politician , has 18 ministers -- two of whom are members of the center-right People of Freedom Party led by three-time Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi . Nearly all the others are members of Letta 's Democratic Party or people close to it . Letta said last week that the most important priority is tackling the country 's 11.6 % unemployment rate , which has pushed many young Italians to leave the country . The second most pressing issue facing Italy is the need for political reform , he said . Constitutional changes are needed to reduce the number of members of parliament and fix an electoral system that has kept the country locked in a political stalemate it ca n't afford , he said . `` We need to do this together with the largest participation possible , '' he said . He also said the European Union 's policy of austerity needs to change .
NEW : In a confidence vote , Italy 's lower house confirms the new prime minister 's government . Enrico Letta was sworn in Sunday , the same day a gunman shot officers outside his office . Letta has said unemployment and political reform are top priorities . Italy has an 11.6 % unemployment rate .