02/13/2021 11:06 AM
Clarín.com
World
Updated 02/13/2021 11:06 AM
The economist Mario Draghi took over the reins of Italy as prime minister on Saturday with the task of managing the worst crisis in remembrance of the coronavirus pandemic, hand in hand with a "unity government" supported by practically all parties.
The former president of the European Central Bank (ECB) was sworn in before the head of state, Sergio Mattarella, in an austere ceremony at the Quirinale Palace in Rome, marked by security measures against the coronavirus such as the mask, distance and absence of companions.
His
23 ministers were
also sworn in
, eight of them women and predominantly from the rich north.
His team is made up of eight renowned technicians in key positions such as Economy or the new Ecological Transition portfolio and fifteen politicians.
Draghi will succeed Giuseppe Conte, who resigned on January 26, and will have the almost unanimous support of the parties, except for the far-right Giorgia Meloni's Brothers of Italy, from now on his only opposition.
The now former Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte hands over command to Mario Draghi, this Saturday at the Chigi Palace, headquarters of the Executive in Italy.
Photo: AP
Declining climate
The ceremony in the Hall of the Quirinale Festivities showed
a new climate, less tense,
in Italian politics.
In just one week Draghi has managed to calm the spirits between some
parties strongly opposed
to the middle of the legislature and that have ended up leaning their shoulders in these times of trouble.
Thus, it will have the support of almost the entire hemicycle: the Five Star Movement (M5S), the leftists of the Democratic Party (PD) and Free and Equal (LeU), the centrist Italia Viva (IV), the conservative Forza Italia (FI ) and the far-right Liga.
Precisely one of the tasks of the economist will be to maintain peace among his political ranks, which
could become involved in their usual struggles
.
And perhaps that is why, to avoid clashes, he has not included the leaders of these formations in his cabinet.
The new Prime Minister Mario Draghi has already presided over his first cabinet meeting.
this Saturday.
Photo: AP
In that atmosphere of rare calm, before the oath members of opposing parties chatted.
Like Luigi Di Maio, Minister of Foreign Affairs and M5S, in dialogue with the new head of Economic Development, Giancarlo Giorgetti, of the League, two forces that ruled together until Matteo Salvini blew up the coalition in the summer of 2018.
At first it was believed that it would be a technical team but finally the matches have prevailed: the M5S will have four portfolios, PD, FI and Liga three each and the IV of Matteo Renzi another.
However,
the technicians will be in key positions:
the former director of the Italian Central Bank Daniele Franco will direct Economy, Patrizio Bianco will do it with Education and the physicist Roberto Cingolani will be in charge of the first environmental ministry.
The curator Luciana Lamorgese will continue in Interior;
the economist Enrico Giovannini will be in Infrastructure;
Cristina Messa in University;
the former Vodafone director Vittorio Colao in Innovation, and the jurist Marta Cartabia, first president of the Constitutional Court, in Justice.
After the family photo, historical for posing at a distance but without a chinstrap, the new prime minister went to the Chigi Palace, headquarters of the Executive, for the transfer of powers and where he first reviewed the honor picket that awaited him.
As undersecretary in the presidency, a key position, was appointed Roberto Garofoli, a magistrate with an economic resume as the chief of staff of the former Economy Ministers Pier Carlo Padoan and Giovanni Tria.
The challenges
Draghi's main objective will be to manage
a pandemic that has caused more than 90,000 deaths in Italy
and accelerate vaccines, as he was chosen by Mattarella to do so, avoiding elections.
But at the same time, it must heal
the enormous economic crisis
generated and distribute quickly and well the 209,000 million euros that will arrive from the European Union in the Recovery Fund.
To this end, it has put technicians in portfolios aimed at modernizing Italian productivity, since a large part of these funds will have to serve this purpose, and has created the Ministry of Ecological Transition.
But another difficult task will be to win the favor of the people and last until the end of the legislature in 2023.
Source: EFE
CB
Look also
Mario Draghi accepts the position of Italian premier with a cabinet of allies
Nerves, consultations and emergency meetings: Italy seeks to resolve the political crisis in full swing of the pandemic
