Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte will step down on Tuesday, according to a government spokesman, adding to the political instability that could lead to quick elections in a country struggling to fight the Covid-19 pandemic and revive its economy. .
Mr Conte resigned after losing his ruling majority in the Italian Senate earlier this month following an argument with a small coalition ally over how the European Union’s vast funds could be spent helping Italy recover from the fallout of the pandemic. His resignation has sparked a search for a new ruling majority, but if one cannot be found, the EU’s third largest economy is likely to hold elections in the coming months.
The breakup of Italy’s left-wing government shows that Europe’s political challenges in recent years – including the fragmentation of the political landscape and the rise of anti-establishment parties – have not disappeared, despite the pandemic’s pressure on European politicians to work. together across party lines.
Mr Conte chaired a tricky coalition led by the establishment, the center-left Democratic Party and the rebellious populist 5-star movement, an alliance primarily aimed at avoiding elections that polls suggest would be won by the Nationalist League. -party. Few people in Italy expected the government to last, although the pandemic strengthened Mr Conte’s authority for a while.
In the end, it was a small centrist faction, led by former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, who withdrew support for Mr Conte, citing his displeasure at his lack of consultation over how to spend the more than € 200 billion in EU funds for economic recovery. for Italy.