Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte will hold a press conference in Rome, Italy on July 7, 2020.
AM POOL | Getty Images News | Getty Images
LONDON – Italy is facing more political unrest after Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte resigned on Tuesday, at a time when the country is facing a serious health and economic crisis.
Italy has been embroiled in political uncertainty for the past three weeks after a small party, Italia Viva, decided to leave the coalition government led by Conte. The split in executive power came after a dispute over the EU’s pandemic recovery funds and how they are disbursed, which has plunged the nation into instability.
Earlier on Tuesday, Conte, who has no political affiliation, told his ministers that he is resigning. Conte then submitted his official resignation to President Sergio Mattarella. The president has reportedly asked Conte to remain in the role of caretaker while discussions take place on the formation of a new government.
However, the resignation is seen as an attempt to avoid parliamentary defeat in a vote in the Senate later this week.
He narrowly survived a vote of confidence last week, but his government has been stripped of a working majority with the departure of Italia Viva, making it difficult for the remainder of his mandate to pass important laws.
“Having failed in his desperate efforts to broaden his majority, Conte and his government would be defeated in a new Senate vote currently scheduled for January 27,” said Wolfango Piccoli, co-chair of the Teneo consulting firm. in a Note.
He said Conte’s resignation was an attempt “to ensure his own political survival.”
Italian President Sergio Mattarella will have to decide whether to give Conte the chance to renegotiate with lawmakers in search of a majority that will allow him to rule.
“Conte’s calculation is that by moving out early and thereby avoiding a humiliating defeat in the Senate later this week, he would increase his chances of getting a mandate from Mattarella to form a new government,” said Piccoli, warning that “this is currently the case. It is unclear whether Conte can succeed in such an attempt.”
If Italian lawmakers fail to agree on a new coalition government, with or without Conte as prime minister, voters should go to the polls sooner rather than later.
“The bottom line is that Italy will continue to be run by an executive that is not suited to the tough job ahead, just as it has been since the last elections,” said Piccoli.
This is a breaking news story and it will be updated.