Calls to persuade Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi to stay in office rather than step down, as he tried last week, today brought together hundreds of mayors from different political backgrounds.
Last Thursday, Draghi submitted his resignation to President Sergio Mattarella, but he refused, and persuaded the Prime Minister to return to Parliament, next Wednesday, to assess political support for his coalition government, which has entered a deep crisis.
The problem is that Draghi may even have enough parliamentary support to remain in office, but he has already admitted that he does not want to continue ruling with systematic criticism and boycotts of the main political force in his coalition: anti-regime populists. Five Star Movement Party (M5S).
Hundreds of mayors signed an open letter and union leaders and businessmen, who often have opposing agendas, gathered to pressure Draghi to continue governing.
Italy and other European countries are facing rising energy costs, rising inflation, rising COVID-19 cases, as well as the effects of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Added to these difficulties are the effects of severe drought in the country, as in other southern European countries.
This afternoon – three days after M5S senators boycotted a vote of confidence tied to a social package to deal with spiraling inflation – more than 80,000 citizens signed the online “Dragy Stay” petition launched by former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, who leads a group small. The Center Party in the Draghi government, in power for 17 months.
“We will mobilize in every way to bring Draghi back to Chigi Palace,” Renzi wrote on Twitter.
Originally, the letter was signed by 11 mayors, including those in Rome and Milan, but it quickly gained the support of several hundred mayors in other cities, state television RAI reported today.
Mayors cited the problems of ordinary citizens as “good reasons” for Draghi to continue to lead the government.
Financial markets are seen by Draghi, who led the European Central Bank, as a pillar of sound financial governance for Italy, which receives billions in recovery funds from the European Union.
In the end, Mattarella must decide what to do if Draghi insisted on Wednesday to quit.
Mattarella can dissolve parliament, triggering snap elections at the end of September, but he can also see if there is political support for a government with a limited agenda to stay in office until Italian lawmakers approve the national budget, which is needed by the end of the year. .
“Hardcore alcohol maven. Hipster-friendly analyst. Introvert. Devoted social media advocate.”