Draghi quits as Italians face prospect of fresh poll
ROME — Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi resigned on Thursday after key coalition allies boycotted a confidence vote, signaling the likelihood of an early election and a renewed period of uncertainty for Italy and Europe at a critical time.
Draghi tendered his resignation to President Sergio Mattarella during a morning meeting at the Quirinale Palace. Mattarella, who had rejected a similar resignation offer last week, “took note” this time around and asked Draghi’s government to remain on in a caretaker fashion, the president’s office said.
Draghi’s government of national unity imploded on Wednesday after members of his uneasy coalition rebuffed his appeal to band back together to finish the legislature’s natural term and ensure implementation of the European Union-funded pandemic recovery program.
Instead, the parties of Forza Italia and the League and the Five Star Movement boycotted a confidence vote in the Senate, in a clear sign they were done with Draghi’s government of 17 months.
“It is a big blow to Italy’s ability to deliver policies and reforms over the near term,” said Lorenzo Codogno, head of LC Macro Advisors and a former senior Italian Treasury official.
“There will be delays and disruptions with early elections, and most likely no budget by year-end.”
Mattarella had tapped the former European Central Bank chief — who was known as “Super Mario” for his “whatever it takes” rescue of the euro — to pull Italy out of the pandemic last year and lay the groundwork to make use of the EU’s recovery funds.
But Five Stars, the party with the biggest vote share in the 2018 national election, had been chafing for months that their priorities of a basic income and minimum salary, among other things, were being ignored.
Last week, Five Stars boycotted a confidence vote tied to a bill aimed at helping Italians endure the crisis, prompting Draghi to offer to resign for the first time.
Mattarella rejected the offer then and asked Draghi to return to Parliament to brief lawmakers on the situation. He did that on Wednesday by appealing to party leaders to listen to the calls for unity from ordinary Italians who signed petitions asking him to stay on.
While the next steps are unclear, the outcome suggested that Mattarella could dissolve Parliament after a period of consultations, paving the way for an early election as soon as late September or early October. The legislature’s five-year term had been due to expire in 2023.