Crisis in Italy: Draghi has now officially resigned – Mattarella dissolves parliament

Created: 07/24/2022, 07:11

Mario Draghi's offer of resignation as head of government shocked Italy - and Europe.

Now he gave a decisive speech and spoke of "fake trust".

• Possible new government: A centre-right coalition is given the best chance.

• Parliament dissolved: After Draghi's resignation, the President draws the necessary conclusions.

• Draghi

  vote of confidence: three important parties are not taking part.

• This news ticker is updated regularly.

Update from July 21, 7:06 p.m.:

Who could form the new government in Italy?

A so-called centre-right coalition, which includes the conservative Forza Italia led by ex-Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi as well as the two right-wing parties Lega and Fratelli d'Italia (FDI), will be given the best chances in the upcoming new elections.

According to a poll, the neo-fascist FDI, chaired by ex-journalist Meloni, received 24 percent of the vote.

Behind them are the Democratic Party (PD) with 22 percent and the Lega of populist Matteo Salvini with 14 percent.

"We are ready," Meloni wrote on Twitter on Thursday.

Should she succeed Draghi, she would be the first woman to hold the position.

At the age of 31, Meloni was appointed the country's youngest minister by then Prime Minister Berlusconi.

She later fell out with her mentor and founded the Fratelli d'Italia with allies.

Italy: President dissolves Parliament

Update from July 21, 5:45 p.m .:

After the resignation of Prime Minister Mario Draghi, Italian President Sergio Mattarella signed a decree dissolving the two chambers of parliament.

That's what Mattarella said on Thursday evening in Rome.

This means that there will be new elections in Italy.

"The political situation led to this decision," Mattarella said in a televised address.

Government crisis in Italy: Mattarella accepts Draghi's resignation

Update from July 21, 10:22 a.m

.: Italian President Sergio Mattarella has accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Mario Draghi.

This was announced by the Quirinal Palace in Rome on Thursday.

The government will initially remain in office for ongoing business.

Update from July 21, 9.15 a.m

.: Italy's Prime Minister Mario Draghi wants to resign again.

The head of government said this in parliament on Thursday morning.

"Against the background of last night's vote in the Senate, I ask that the session be adjourned because I will go to the President of the Republic to inform him of my decision," said the Chamber of Deputies in Rome.

It could be that he submits his resignation to Head of State Sergio Mattarella again.

The 74-year-old had already submitted his resignation last week, which was initially rejected.

Update from July 21, 7:14 a.m .:

The Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi wants to appear in the Senate in the Chamber of Deputies after his missed goal in the vote of confidence on Thursday (July 21).

The larger of Italy's two chambers of parliament announced the debate on the speech by the head of government for 9 a.m.

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

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

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

Government crisis in Italy: Despite winning the vote, Draghi is on the verge of extinction

Update from July 20, 8:25 p.m .:

Italy’s Prime Minister Mario Draghi clearly missed the broad approval he wanted in the vote of confidence in the Senate.

Although the 74-year-old won the vote in Rome on Wednesday evening with 95 yes votes and 39 no votes, his major governing parties Lega, Forza Italia and the Five Star Movement did not vote.

It is therefore likely that Draghi could again offer his resignation to President Sergio Mattarella. 

Draghi vote of confidence: three important parties are not taking part

Update from July 20, 7.40 p.m .:

The Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi is about to die.

Before the decisive vote of confidence, three important parties in his government announced that they would not take part in the vote in the Senate.

Without the Lega, Forza Italia and the Five Star Movement, the 74-year-old will not be able to achieve broad approval in the smaller of the two parliamentary chambers as he had hoped - which he himself made a condition of continuing at the head of government.

Lega and Forza Italia did not want to vote because they wanted to vote on another resolution that would have ruled out continued government with the Five Star Movement.

Vote of confidence in the Senate: Italy's Prime Minister Mario Draghi faces Parliament

First report from July 20th:

Rome – Mario Draghi is aiming for a continuation of his previous government.

In a speech to the Senate in Rome on July 20, the Prime Minister of Italy called for a new “confidence pact” between the parties as a prerequisite for this.

It's the "only way to stay together," he said.

"Are you prepared to restore this pact?" Draghi asked the parliamentarians.

A vote of confidence in the Draghi government in the Senate is planned for the afternoon.

In his speech, Draghi harshly criticized the political parties.

Italy doesn't just need "fake trust" in the government.

"Are you ready to confirm the efforts you made in the first few months and then weakened?" Draghi asked the parliamentarians.

He added: "You don't have to give me the answer to this question, you have to give it to all Italians."

Taking a coffee break after his Senate speech: Mario Draghi © Andrew Medichini/dpa

Government crisis in Italy: Survey sees majority of citizens behind Draghi

Last week, the Five Star Movement (M5S), which previously held the majority behind Draghi, triggered a government crisis in Italy by boycotting a vote of confidence in Draghi.

Although Draghi survived the vote, he submitted his resignation because he did not want to lead the unity government without the support of the MS5.

However, President Sergio Mattarella rejected the resignation request.

According to polls, the majority of Italians still support Draghi.

In order to stay in office, the head of government needs not only a majority in the Senate but also the approval of the House of Representatives.

The vote there is scheduled to take place on Thursday..