The Italian government has approved hotly contested emergency measures to open competition in a wide-range of sectors aimed at boosting growth and making room for young people in the workforce.

The measures approved Friday are the second prong in Premier Mario Monti's efforts to protect Italy from sovereign debt crisis, following a €30 billion ($39 billion) austerity package past in December.

The measures will allow more taxi licenses, permit pharmacists to discount some medicines, and allow gas stations operators to choose whom they buy fuel from. Monti told a news conference that the greater competition will benefit Italy's highly rigid society.

Taxi drivers have been staging wild cat strikes for days against the proposed reforms.