Italians responded with a mixture of anger, confusion and calls for the entire government to be sent after the country was plunged into political chaos again.
The Giuseppe Conte-led government is faltering on the brink of collapse after former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi withdrew his small Italia Viva party from the ruling coalition. Renzi said his party was not to blame for the crisis, but that it had been going on for months. He argued that his ministers had shown courage to leave their posts, and blamed their departure on the government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic and the weak strategy to rebuild the shattered economy.
But many Italians do not see things the same way. In an Ipsos poll on Wednesday, 73% said it was not the time for a political crisis, saying Renzi was only pursuing his own interests.
“We are in the middle of a pandemic. This is not the time to contribute to problems, ”says Carlo Gerardi, manager of a hospitality business. “It will hamper everything – so many businesses are struggling without financial support and people are losing their salaries.”
Renzi’s move leaves the coalition of Conte, which consists of the Five Star Movement (M5S) and the Democratic Party (PD), without a parliamentary majority. As of Thursday afternoon, the prime minister has not indicated his next step. He can either offer his resignation to the president, Sergio Mattarella, who can give him a mandate to try to forge a new alliance, or go to parliament for confidence. But if he opts for the latter, it is not clear whether he will get enough support to fill the void left by Italia Viva’s 18 senators. Other possible outcomes include Mattarella forming a broad government of national unity or, failing that, calling elections.
Gerardi believes the government should continue with Conte. “If the pandemic is over then and we see signs of economic recovery, they can do what they want.”
Tiziana Nicolisi, a pub owner in Rome, said: “Renzi made a mistake and many people think so, especially with hundreds of deaths a year from coronavirus.”
But some support the maneuver. Renzi’s main complaint was about Conte’s spending plans for the € 223 billion (£ 198 billion) that Italy is likely to receive from EU loans and grants to recharge its economy, arguing that the money is in danger of being squandered on handouts. become rather than be wisely invested. His proposals were accepted and the recovery plan was changed by the cabinet late Tuesday night and approved.
Although Renzi said the new plan was a “step forward”, it was not enough to change his mind. He also reiterated his grievance against Italy for not using the EU’s rescue fund – the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) – to promote the health service. M5S, the largest ruling party, has always resisted this for fear of leaving Italy strictly adhering to strict EU austerity rules.
“In the original plan, there were no investments in the economy, but only money is given away,” said Arianna Bocchino, an Italian supporter of Viva. Renzi had to push and push to make it better. This coalition is not able to manage money well and they do not want to listen. ”
Since the founding of the Italian Republic in 1946, Italy has had 67 governments.
Renzi, who led Italy between 2014 and 2016, in fact orchestrated the coalition between the PD and M5S led by the Conte following the collapse of the coalition government of M5S and Matteo Salvini’s far-right league in August 2019. He PD leaves to establish Italia Viva, a centrist force that he says would ‘do politics differently’.
Italia Viva, M5S and PD are likely to be trampled on if a national vote is held soon. The opposition, which consists of the league, its fellow far-right partner, the brothers of Italy, and Silvio Berlusconi’s Forza Italia, could possibly secure more than 50% of the vote.
Alessandro Urlandi, a shop owner in Rome, needs a new government. “I’m totally sick of it. This fate has no idea. ”