Agreement after the election debacle in Italy: Suddenly the old man is supposed to run again as head of state

Created: 01/29/2022, 19:09

Sergio Mattarella, President of Italy (archive image) © Filippo Monteforte/dpa

Now things are getting exciting again in Italy: After several unsuccessful elections for a new head of state, the incumbent boss is now supposed to get back to work.

Rome – Italy* has no new head of state even after the seventh ballot.

So far, no candidate has achieved the necessary majorities.

Because of the muddled situation, representatives of some parties said on Saturday afternoon that they want to elect the incumbent boss, Sergio Mattarella, for a second term.

According to the Ansa news agency, Prime Minister Mario Draghi had already spoken to Mattarella.

Italy is looking for a new head of state: Mattarella the solution after the election slippage

Now the news from earlier Saturday evening: The majority of the Italian parliamentary parties want to vote for Mattarella in the eighth ballot.

The 80-year-old has made himself available for a second term, South Tyrolean Senator Julia Unterberger explained to journalists on Saturday when she left Mattarella's office.

Parties such as the right-wing Lega, the Social Democrats and the conservative Forza Italia had previously agreed to vote for the Sicilian.

Former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi from the small Italia Viva party welcomed the decision.

Mattarella is an excellent choice.

Renzi had proposed the 80-year-old as a candidate in the 2015 vote for the head of state.

The eighth round of voting began in the Chamber of Deputies in Rome on Saturday afternoon.

A result was expected late in the evening.

Italy: Draghi apparently persuaded Mattarella to stay on as head of state

Italian media reported on Saturday that Prime Minister Mario Draghi had spent some time persuading Mattarella to remain in office for the good of the country.

The former central bank governor has long been considered the favorite to succeed Mattarella, but many feared that his move from the government to the head of state after almost a year could test the governing coalition to the breaking point and lead to political chaos.

Italy's president has largely representative functions, but in times of political crisis he can exercise great influence - dissolving parliament, appointing the new prime minister or denying mandates to fragile coalitions.

The presidential election began on Monday*, it is secret and there are no official lists of candidates.

In order to speed up the process, two ballots per day have been scheduled since Friday.