Santanché, a leading member of Giorgia Meloni’s right-wing Brothers of Italy (FdI) party, was not in the House for the vote as she had ministry-related engagements.
The motion was backed by all the opposition parties except for the centrist Italia Viva (IV) group amid criminal probes into the minister’s business activities.
On Wednesday, the outcome of a separate no-confidence motion against Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini was similar.
Santanché said she would quit if she were prosecuted.
In the most serious case against her, she could face charges of aggravated fraud against the Italian national pensions and social security institute INPS over alleged irregular management of funds.
The 62-year-old minister has denied all wrongdoing.
She has said she is innocent and has vowed to clear her name if the cases come to court.
The other cases involve alleged false accounting, alleged fraudulent bankruptcy, and alleged money laundering.
The motion against Salvini, presented over his League party’s ties with the United Russia party, was defeated with 211 votes against and 129 in favour.
Before Tuesday’s vote, the League said that the agreement it had with the ruling party in Russia party was no longer valid following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
Salvini has expressed admiration for Putin several times in the past, but he has also condemned Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
ANSA
