ROME — Italy’s Prime Minister Mario Draghi offered to resign on Thursday, a day after a last-ditch effort to get the country’s belligerent parties to stick together for the nation’s sake failed spectacularly, sparking nationalist and populist forces were reunited to fatally torpedo his government of national unity.
Draghi had “again tendered his resignation” — for the second time in just over a week — in a statement from President Sergio Mattarella’s office, adding that Mr. Mattarella “took note” of the decision and that in the meantime, “The government remains responsible for regular business.”
Mr Mattarella had rejected Mr Draghi’s resignation last week in hopes that Mr Draghi could still convince Italy’s bickering parties to stick together. Draghi tried it on Wednesday, when he argued his case before Parliament, arguing that “the only way forward, if we are to stick together, is to rebuild this pact from the top, with courage, altruism.” and credibility.”
But with the elections approaching, the Italian parties decided not to go further, but to explode what was widely regarded as one of the most stable, effective and influential Italian governments in many years to try to gain political advantage and take power. to grab for themselves.
The effective collapse of Mr Draghi’s government dealt a devastating blow to both Italy and Europe. On Thursday, financial markets reacted negatively to the impending departure of Mr Draghi, a former president of the European Central Bank who helped save the euro and boosted investor confidence in his debt through his credibility. loaded country.
Mr Draghi’s statesmanship had ushered in a brief golden period for Italy after taking over as the interim prime minister in 2021, and in his speech on Wednesday he said the broad unity coalition had enabled Italy to emerge from the worst phase of the pandemic, quickly channel financial aid to those who need it and reduce ‘useless bureaucracy’.
He also listed major overhauls in several sectors, including greater energy independence from Russia, which he called “essential to Italy’s modernization”, noting that Rome already had 45.9 billion euros (about $47 billion) from the European Commission. had received in recovery funds, with €21 billion more on the way.
Under Mr Draghi, Italy took on a much larger footprint in Europe. He persuaded the country, historically closely and economically linked to Russia, to take a strong stand and support Ukraine with arms, to play a leading role in recognizing Kiev’s application for European Union membership. and to condemn Russian aggression and punish Moscow with sanctions.
Many Draghi supporters had argued that this injection of stability and competence into Italian politics, and the moderation needed to work together in a government of national unity, had essentially inoculated the country from its populist fever.
Instead, Italy was heading for elections in which the most popular politician, Giorgia Meloni, leads a party with neo-fascist roots that has skyrocketed to 22 percent in the polls, from less than 5 percent in the last election in 2018.
Unlike Mrs. Meloni, who launched campaign bombs from the opposition, her nominal ally, Matteo Salvini of the League party, had joined the government of national unity, in part to appease his pro-business base in the north of the country, which Mr. Draghi liked. .
But on Wednesday, as elections approached, Salvini’s patience ran out and led to the collapse of Mr Draghi’s government, apparently eager to get back on the campaign trail, to regain the popularity that Mrs Meloni has taken from him. and showing that he should be the next prime minister of the country.
Whoever comes out on top, Mr Salvini and Ms Meloni have formed an alliance, together with former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, which is highly favored to win in the elections, which are already scheduled for late September or early October.
