Draghi's government on the brink: Italy's politicians shocked

Created: 07/21/2022, 04:54

Mario Draghi, Prime Minister of Italy, in Rome.

© Andrew Medichini/AP/dpa

Italy's Prime Minister Mario Draghi wants to know what Parliament thinks of him and is asking a vote of confidence in the Senate.

The parties respond with a clap.

Nothing is decided yet.

Rome - Italy's Prime Minister Mario Draghi plans to appear in the Chamber of Deputies today after missing his target in the Senate vote of confidence.

The larger of the two chambers of Parliament announced today's debate on the Prime Minister's speech.

Draghi's government is on the verge of collapse and the 74-year-old's resignation is considered likely.

He would have to submit this to Head of State Sergio Mattarella.

It was therefore not yet clear when and whether Draghi would come to the 80-year-old head of state today.

Draghi won the vote of confidence in the Senate on Wednesday, but not with the broad majority he desired, because the three governing parties Lega, Forza Italia and the Five Star Movement did not vote.

As is usual with parliamentary decisions, the Chamber of Deputies must now also vote.

Denied resignation request

The government crisis was triggered by the Five Star Movement's lack of confidence in the cabinet of the non-party ex-head of the European Central Bank.

In a vote a week ago, the co-governing centre-left Draghi party refused to vote because of disagreements over an aid package and the construction of a waste incineration plant in Rome it contained, thereby escalating the government crisis.

Draghi then submitted his resignation to President Mattarella.

However, he rejected Draghi's request and instead ordered him to a debate in the Senate this Wednesday.

On Wednesday he won the expected vote of confidence in the Senate with 95 yes to 38 no votes.

With the abstentions, however, Draghi's wish for the support of a broad parliamentary majority was lost.

After missing the target in the vote of confidence, Italy's politicians were shocked, indignant, but sometimes also pleased.

"There were no longer any conditions under which we could have continued in loyal cooperation," said the head of the Five Star Movement, Giuseppe Conte, on Wednesday.

"To bring down the Draghi government means to be against Italy and the interests of the Italians," said the leader of the co-governing Social Democrats, Enrico Letta.

"From tomorrow nothing will be the same as before," said ex-Prime Minister Matteo Renzi of the Italia Viva splinter party.

Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio (Insieme per il future) found that the future of the Italians had been gambled away.

"The consequences of this tragic election will go down in history."

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Politics could become incapable of action

Lega boss Matteo Salvini blamed the government's center-left parties for Draghi's case: "Draghi and Italy have fallen victim to the madness of the Five Stars, which has been going on for days, and the power games of the PD." The head of the far-right Fratelli was pleased d'Italia, Giorgia Meloni.

"If everything goes well, it will be possible to vote within two months, we are ready," said the politician from the party in Rome that is currently leading in the polls.

If President Mattarella accepts a possible further resignation from Draghi this time, he could then look for someone to form a new government majority or dissolve the two chambers, which would entail a snap election.

Should there be a new election, it would probably be either at the end of September or the beginning of October.

It could be weeks before a government is formed.

In the meantime, Italy would hardly be able to act politically, although it actually has to implement important reforms in order to secure billions in EU aid.

An election campaign could also have negative consequences for the reputation and stability of the heavily indebted Mediterranean country if, for example, investors are deterred by the uncertainties.

At the moment, according to the polls, it could be enough for a centre-right government with the EU-averse Fratelli d'Italia.

That would be a bad sign for Brussels.

dpa