Silvio Berlusconi's allies pushed a controversial measure through parliament on Wednesday that shields the Italian premier from prosecution in two ongoing trials.

The measure is highly controversial, and that was clear during the final vote. Some opposition legislators shouted "Shame! Shame!" Others held up copies of the Italian constitution - a reference to the principle that all citizens are equal before the law.

The measure allows the premier and Cabinet ministers to postpone for six months hearings in any ongoing trial in which they are implicated. Berlusconi is a defendant in two trials in Milan - one on corruption charges, one of tax fraud charges. He denies wrongdoing.

The legislation, which was passed by the lower house of parliament last month, received final approval in the Senate. Berlusconi's conservatives enjoy solid majority in both houses.

Wednesday's Senate session was a long tense one, in line with this country's typically fierce debate about justice.

The conservatives won confidence votes tied to the measure, which they had called to speed up passage after the opposition presented some 1,700 amendments in an effort at filibustering.

Critics say the measure is designed to shield Berlusconi from the Milan trials. Backers insist the measure is needed because Italians voted for Berlusconi to govern the country, not to be distracted by judicial proceedings.

The legislation says the six-month suspension can be renewed twice, for a total of 18 months, if the defendant has a "legitimate impediment" stemming from being an elected official. It is designed as a stopgap measure to buy the conservatives time while they prepare more thorough immunity legislation for top officials.

Last year, Italy's Constitutional Court threw out such a law granting Berlusconi and other top officials immunity from prosecution while in office on grounds that it was unconstitutional.

The conservatives want to amend the immunity legislation so that it can pass the test of the Constitutional Court, but the procedure is a lengthy one.

Also Wednesday, Berlusconi urged his supporters to stage a demonstration in Rome next week to support his party amid a dispute that could exclude some of the party's candidates from local elections.

Regional voting will be held March 28-29, and a list of Berlusconi's candidates in the Lazio region was thrown out for not being submitted by the deadline, embarrassing the premier.

He said the list was excluded as an attempt to damage his party, and that there had been no fault by his allies submitting the list. The premier told a news conference that his center-left rivals "would have preferred to run alone like they used to do in the Soviet Union."

Berlusconi's allies have been appealing the candidates' exclusion.

In a tense moment during the news conference, Berlusconi feuded with a reporter who shouted questions without waiting his turn.

Berlusconi said the man was "out of order" and eventually told him: "Shame on you!"

The defense minister, also attending the news conference, was shown by cameras approaching the reporter and grabbing his jacket in an apparent effort to escort him out.