MILAN, Nov 11 (Reuters) – Mario Draghi should carry on as Italy’s prime minister and Sergio Mattarella should seek a second term as president, the head of Italy’s biggest bank by assets was quoted as saying on Thursday.
Former European Central Bank chief Draghi took charge of a national unity government in February, with almost all parties from across the political spectrum pledging their support. He appointed a cabinet with a mix of technocrats and politicians from his broad coalition.
Intesa Sanpaolo chief executive Carlo Messina added his voice to that of several business leaders who have asked for Draghi to stay in power for as long as possible, shunning the temptation of becoming head of state when the position becomes free early next year.
“I believe that today we have a President of the Republic (Mattarella) with integrity, a gentleman who has managed the difficult phases of populism and the pandemic in a unique way,” Messina said in an interview with daily La Stampa.
“I believe that the prime minister, remaining in his job, can do the good of our country,” he said, adding that he was speaking as a citizen and not as a banker.
Draghi faces a quandary. If he gives up the chance of a 7-year term as president, he will in any case only remain as prime minister for another year before elections due in the spring of 2023 – unless he can persuade the parties to back him to lead another government after the vote.
Mattarella’s term as president is due to expire at the end of January. Draghi is considered a frontrunner for the position, though his selection – conducted through a secret ballot of parliamentarians and regional politicians – is by no means a formality.
(Reporting by Maria Pia Quaglia, editing by Gavin Jones and Toby Chopra)
Photo – Italian President Sergio Mattarella (L) and Prime Minister Mario Draghi (R). EPA-EFE/ROBERTO MONALDO / POOL
