By Press TV, Iran

Thousands of Italian union members and activists have taken to the streets of Rome to protest against the government’s economic policies.

Some 10,000 Italians marched through the capital on Saturday to demonstrate against government’s labor and housing reforms as well as its plans to privatize water services.

The protesters voiced their opposition against a labor reform approved by the country’s parliament on May 15, which will ease regulation for companies to use temporary workers and reduce their rights.

The demonstrators also denounced high rents and urged the administration of Prime Minister Matteo Renzi to provide more funding for social services and public housing.

Activists said in the capital alone, 50,000 families are awaiting public housing.

The protesters denounced plans to privatize water services, with Father Alex Zanotelli, one of the leaders of the free water movement, saying, “Water is a public right, it is a human right.”

According to Zanotelli, over a million people have signed a petition to urge the European Parliament not to push through plans for the privatization of water services.

The protest march came just days after thousands of people held a similar protest in Rome over what they called the deteriorating economic situation fuelled by austerity measures in Italy.

Over the past decade, Italy has been the slowest-growing economy in the eurozone as tough austerity measures and pension changes have caused serious concerns for many people in the country.

Italians have been staging protests against high unemployment rate, economic adversity and hardship over a series of government-imposed austerity packages in recent years.

CAH/HSN/SS