ROME – Mario Draghi, the former head of the European Central Bank, who is widely acknowledged to have helped save the euro, on Wednesday accepted a mandate from the Italian president to try to form a new unity government that would save the country from the pandemic would lead and through economic recovery.
“Overcoming the pandemic, completing the vaccination campaign, providing answers to the daily problems of the citizens, are the challenges we face in reloading the country,” he said. Draghi said after meeting for more than an hour with President Sergio Mattarella around the Quirinal Palace.
Italy, he said, had a “difficult moment”. And he said he was appealing to Mr. Mattarella accepted because the emergency “requires an answer equal to the seriousness of the situation.”
Until as recently as Tuesday, the idea that Mr. Draghi would replace Giuseppe Conte as prime minister, remaining a pipe dream for the many Italians who were frustrated with a governing coalition paralyzed by ideological rifts and incompetence, especially as the coronavirus pandemic raged and economic devastation took place. in.
But on Tuesday night, Mattarella called Mr. Draghi summoned and called on ‘all the political forces in parliament’ to support a ‘high-profile government’ to meet the historic moment.
He made it clear that Mr. Conte’s term of office was over and that the new players, possibly political leaders proposed by the parties that Mr. Draghi supports, whether a leading cast of economists, judges and non-politically connected scientists was ready to enter the stage.
Italy’s stock market rose on Wednesday in response to news that Mr. Draghi was drafted to lead the Italian government. He immediately began consultations with party leaders that will continue in the coming days in an effort to form a new Italian government.
‘I am confident that from the exchanges with the parties and the groups in parliament and from the dialogue with the social forces’ unity’ will arise and the ability to give a responsible answer to the president’s appeal. “
Mr. Draghi himself is no political beginner. He has served in previous Italian governments, was a director of the treasury of Italy and knows the government machinery at European and Italian level well.
His name has been mentioned for years as a potential candidate for Mr. To replace Mattarella in 2022 as Italy’s head of state. But now Mr. Mattarella himself appealed to Mr. Draghi did, which he has praised in public in the past, and brought directly into the fight.
“Now everyone must respond with good will to the call of President Mattarella and support the government of Mario Draghi,” said Matteo Renzi, the cunning former prime minister who called for the collapse of Mr’s government. Conte designed by drawing the support of his small party in parliament. “Now is the time for sobriety.”
Party leaders right and left quickly supported Mr. Draghi expressed after it became clear that Mr. Mattarella would ask him to form a government.
Among them were leaders who showed great loyalty to Mr. Conte. Nicola Zingaretti, the leader of the Democratic Party who Mr. Renzi once led, issued a statement that on the one hand the government crisis is referred to as a “disaster caused by the irresponsible choice” of mr. Renzi, but he welcomed when Mr. Mattarella’s decision. “We will be ready to discuss the common good for the country.”
A government led by Mr. Draghi can arise in two different ways. If he succeeds in finding broad parliamentary support, he can govern from a strong position to the next scheduled elections in 2023.
If he does not find sufficient political support, Mr. Mattarella nevertheless heads a transitional government of limited scope – probably focused on vaccinating vaccines and managing more than 200 billion euros, or about 240 billion dollars, in aid funds from Europe. – before leading the country to early elections.
“We have extraordinary resources available from the European Union,” he said. Draghi said Wednesday in a clear pro-European sign. “We have the opportunity to do a lot for our country with a view to the future for young generations and to strengthen social unity.”
Mr. Mattarella explicitly said Tuesday night that he has no interest in new elections. Nor does Mr. Renzi, who is not voting about two percent, or the Five Star Movement, which has the largest bloc in parliament but is likely to be taken down by nationalist opponents in the election.
Leaders of Five Star initially expressed their opposition to Mr. Draghi expressed, but it became increasingly clear on Wednesday that it was far from a united position within the party, which apparently broke apart.
Even the political forces complaining about new elections suddenly fell silent with the arrival of Mr. Draghi.
“We are a responsible party and we will not say no out of hand,” said Riccardo Molinari, a Member of Parliament for the Nationalist League Party led by Matteo Salvini, who said polls would benefit most from the early election.
But Mr. Salvini must also protect his right flank. If he is seen as too receptive to mr. Draghi, who is the personification of the European Union against which Mr. Salvini has been standing for years, other right-wing politicians are eager to take his place.
“I do not think the solution to the country’s serious health, economic and social problems is another government born in the palace,” said Giorgia Meloni, leader of the post-fascist Brotherhood of Italy party. Twitter written. “We rather think that it is definitely better to give Italians the opportunity to vote.”
Mr. Mattarella’s attempt to Mr. Bringing in Draghi has the potential to re-establish Italian politics, which according to many commentators did not have the task of governing in a national emergency.
“To think that the most anti-European parliament in the history of Italy can crown Draghi as prime minister and head of state today gives a sense of the miracle that Sergio Mattarella drew in these years,” said Claudio Cerasa, editor of Il Foglio. newspaper, wrote Wednesday.