Italy’s welfare minister Elsa Fornero burst into tears as she revealed the impact of austerity measures that Italy hopes will tackle its financial crisis.

The deeply unpopular tax increases, pension reforms and budget cuts have been criticised by the trade unions but is felt by the government to be necessary to save the country from bankruptcy, or needing a bailout as occurred in Greece and Ireland.

However as Fornero attempted to explain the impact of the measures, the emotion of Italy’s turbulent past few months caught up and the welfare minister struggled with her words:

"We had to... and it cost us a lot psychologically... ask for a...sacri..”

Italy’s Prime Minister Mario Monti had to step in and say the rest of the word “sacrifice” as it was too much for Fornero to explain.