Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said he would resign amid a political crisis.

Draghi survived a vote of no confidence in the Italian Senate on Thursday, but the future of his government has been called into question by a boycott of the vote by the Five Star Movement, a key coalition ally.

The Movement's parliamentarians refused to participate in the vote because they disagreed with parts of a bill to help with the energy price spike to which the vote of confidence was linked.

Draghi won the vote 172-39, but the boycott is a clear threat to his government.

Draghi, former head of the European Central Bank (ECB), became Italy's sixth prime minister in 10 years.