Italy’s centre-right government ran into trouble on Wednesday with two big salvage operations – one designed to prop up the over-strained state pensions system, and the other to save Alitalia, the state-owned airline, from collapse.

The government’s difficulties underlined how serious Italy’s political and economic challenges are becoming as it approaches a general election next April that will pit Silvio Berlusconi, prime minister, against Romano Prodi, leader of the centre-left opposition.