The vote was done with 172 votes in favour, and this decision will now need to be approved by the senate.
Giuseppe Conte, who used to be prime minister at the time, expressed concerns that the inquiry was targeting him and former health minister Roberto Speranza. The coalition lawmakers shouted “truth, truth” after the decision was announced. The inquiry will look into why Italy had not updated its pandemic plan drawn up in 2006, as well as the legitimacy of lockdown measures imposed by the government.
The World Health Organization has recorded more than 190 thousand deaths from COVID-19 in Italy so far, making it one of the worst affected countries in the world.