Italy’s President Sergio Mattarella has given a mandate to former European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi to form a new government, an official said on Wednesday.
Draghi will now have to hold talks with political parties to try and muster support in parliament for an administration that will be tasked with handling the twin coronavirus and economic crises battering Italy.
The Five-Star Movement has already announced its intention to vote against any Draghi-led Government, while centre-right parties are currently convening an internal summit, wanted by Lega leader Matteo Salvini, to form a common front.
Defeating the pandemic and the economic crisis through a strengthening of the vaccination programme would be his priorities, Draghi told journalists at the end of a 70-minute long meeting with Mattarella. EU funds would be crucial in such plan, he added. The former ECB President said that he was looking forward to a discussion with the different parties in order to give a positive reply to Mattarella.
via Reuters, Tgcom
