ROME – Mario Draghi, the former head of the European Central Bank who is widely credited for helping to save the euro, accepted a mandate from Italy’s president on Wednesday to try to form a new unity government that would guide the country out of pandemic and through economic recovery.
“Overcoming the pandemic, completing the vaccination campaign, offering answers to the daily problems of citizens, relaunching the country are the challenges we face,” said Draghi after meeting with President Sergio Mattarella for more than an hour at the Quirinal Palace.
Italy, he said, faced a “difficult time”. And he said he accepted Mr. Mattarella’s appeal because the emergency “requires an answer equal to the gravity of the situation”.
Until Tuesday, the idea of Draghi replacing Giuseppe Conte as prime minister remained a dream for many Italians frustrated with a government coalition that seemed paralyzed by ideological schisms and incompetence, especially when the coronavirus pandemic intensified and economic devastation intensified. established within.
But on Tuesday night, Mattarella called on Draghi and called on “all political forces in Parliament” to support a “high-profile government” to face the historic moment.
He made it clear that Conte’s mandate was over and the new players, potentially political leaders proposed by the parties that supported Draghi or a cast of stars from economists, judges and politically unaffiliated scientists, were ready to take the stage.
Italy’s stock market rebounded on Wednesday in response to news that Draghi had been scheduled to lead the Italian government. He immediately started consultations with party leaders who will continue in the coming days in an effort to form a new Italian government.
“I am confident that from the exchange with the parties and groups in Parliament and from the dialogue with the social forces,” said Draghi on Wednesday, “unity and the ability to respond responsibly to appeals will emerge.”
Draghi himself is no political novice. He served in previous Italian governments, was director of the Treasury of Italy and is well aware of the government machine at both the European and Italian level.
His name was mentioned years ago as a potential candidate to replace Mattarella as Italy’s head of state in 2022. But now Mattarella himself called Draghi, whom he praised publicly in the past, and put him directly into the fray.
“Now, everyone of good will must heed President Mattarella’s call and support the government of Mario Draghi,” Matteo Renzi, the astute former prime minister who engineered the collapse of the Conte government by pulling the support of his small party in Parliament . “Now is the time for sobriety.”
Party leaders on the right and on the left quickly expressed support for Draghi after it became clear that Mattarella would ask him to form a government.
Among them were leaders who gave great demonstrations of their loyalty to Mr. Conte. Nicola Zingaretti, the Democratic Party leader Renzi led, released a statement which, on the one hand, referred to the government crisis as a “disaster caused by Mr. Renzi’s irresponsible choice”, but later accepted Mr. Mattarella’s decision. “We will be ready to discuss the common good for the country.”
A government led by Draghi could arise in two different ways. If he can find broad parliamentary support, he will be able to rule from a position of strength until the next elections scheduled for 2023.
If he fails to find enough political support, Mattarella could, however, make him head of a transitional government with a limited scope – probably focused on launching vaccines and administering more than 200 billion euros, or about $ 240 billion , in aid funds from Europe – before leading the country to early elections.
“We have the European Union’s extraordinary resources available,” Draghi said on Wednesday in a clear pro-European signal. “We have the opportunity to do a lot for our country, with a watchful eye on the future of young generations and to strengthen social unity.”
Mr Mattarella said explicitly on Tuesday night that he had no interest in new elections. Neither Renzi, who has about 2% of votes, nor the Five Star Movement, which has the largest bloc in Parliament, but would probably be wiped out in the elections by his nationalist opponents.
Five Star leaders initially expressed their opposition to Draghi, but on Wednesday it became increasingly clear that it was far from being a unified position within the party, which seemed to be breaking up.
Even the political forces that were calling for new elections suddenly calmed down with Draghi’s arrival.
“We are a responsible party and we will not say no immediately,” said Riccardo Molinari, a member of Parliament from the League’s nationalist party led by Matteo Salvini, who polls suggested would benefit most from the early elections.
But Salvini also needs to protect his right flank. If he is seen as very receptive to Draghi, who is the embodiment of the European Union against which Salvini has been complaining for years, other right-wing politicians are eager to take his place.
“I don’t think the solution to the country’s serious health, economic and social problems is yet another government born in the palace,” wrote Giorgia Meloni, leader of the post-fascist Brothers of Italy party on Twitter. “Instead, we think it is definitely better to give Italians the chance to vote.”
At once, Mattarella’s action to bring Draghi has the potential to redefine Italian politics, which many commentators regretted not being up to the task of governing in a national emergency.
“To think that the most anti-European parliament in the history of Italy could crown Draghi as prime minister today and head of state tomorrow gives an idea of the miracle that Sergio Mattarella performed in those years,” Claudio Cerasa, editor of the Il Foglio newspaper, wrote in Wednesday.