ROME - Italy's government will hold a confidence vote in the lower house of parliament on Friday to approve its 33-billion euro austerity package, Minister for Parliamentary Relations Dino Piero Giarda said on Thursday.

The vote will be held after 1100 GMT on Friday.

A second confidence vote on the measures is expected in the upper house before Christmas.

The technocrat government of Prime Minister Mario Monti is backed by an overwhelming majority in both houses and the votes should pass easily.