Is it all over for Mario Draghi’s recovery government? His attempted resignation yesterday – which was rejected by President Sergio Mattarella – opens up a highly uncertain chapter in the most serious crisis the Italian Prime Minister has faced. There’s little desire from anyone to see Draghi leave and usher in new elections, at least at this stage. But there is a high risk of miscalculation, thanks to the overlapping red lines the protagonists in this drama have set themselves.
Giuseppe Conte’s Five Star Movement yesterday decided not to support the government on a cost-of-living bill vote in the Senate – by not turning up. That meant that the measure still passed, but without the party’s assent. Conte last week presented Draghi with a long list of ultimatums, which he said were imperative for the party’s continued support. As things went down to the wire this week, Draghi said his government could not continue if the other parties didn’t support its programme.
The easy mistake is to assume Draghi is a normal politician with the same objective as one: to cling to power for as long as possible.
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