Former president of the European Central Bank, who has been prime minister for less than 18 months, told his cabinet that “the majority of the national unity that has supported this government since its inception is gone”. He insisted he has tried desperately to continue on the “common path”, while also trying to “meet the needs expressed by the political forces”, but after today’s confidence vote “was this effort is not enough”.
He said: “I want to announce that I will resign tonight at the hands of the President of the Republic.
“Today’s votes in Parliament are a very important fact from a political point of view. The majority of the national unity that has supported this government since its inception has disappeared.
“In these days, the greatest possible commitment has been made on my part to continue on the common path and also to try to meet the needs placed on me by the political forces.
“As evidenced by today’s debate and vote in Parliament, this effort was not enough.”
Mr Drgahi insisted that from the start of his premiership in February 2021 he insisted that he would only continue “if there was a clear prospect of being able to implement the government program voted on by political forces”
He concluded: “This compactness was fundamental to face the challenges of these months. These conditions no longer exist.”
The prime minister’s resignation could now lead to national elections within weeks of other coalition parties demanding a vote if 5-Star no longer supported the government.
Earlier today, Mr Draghi had survived a confidence vote that had become a focal point for tensions within his own government as parties prepare to battle it out in a national election next year.
But Italy was plunged into political chaos when the Five Star Movement – led by Italian President Guiseppe Conte – decided to boycott the crunch confidence vote.
The move threatened to undermine efforts to bring in billions of euros in crucial funds from the European Union, address a brutal drought and reduce the country’s reliability on Russian gas after Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine.
Five-Star had boycotted a vote on a €26 billion package designed to protect Italians from the worsening effects of rising inflation.
Conte had warned he could no longer support Draghi’s cross-party government, which he accused of not doing enough to help families faced with rising food and energy costs.
He said at a party rally on Wednesday: “I am deeply concerned that September will be a time when families will be faced with the choice of paying their electric bills or buying food.”
Despite the boycott of Five Star, the sizable aid package was passed by a comfortable majority in the Italian Senate.
Draghi had previously made the bold move by insisting he would not lead a government without the support of coalition partner Five Star.
The rival party came out on top in the last Italian elections in 2018, but has had a rough time of late with defectors and a loss of voter support.
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