In a good year in power, Draghi has shown that he can govern and cares little about party politics.
(Photo: imago images / Italy Photo Press)
Rome Italy was politically paralyzed for almost a week. The post haggling, the party political skirmishes, the blank ballot papers, the names of footballers in protest: the spectacle that one of these days in parliament offered was at times unworthy of the high office of President.
Nevertheless, the election result, the status quo, is the best possible news for Italy: Sergio Mattarella is entering his second term – and Mario Draghi remains at the head of the government.
A scenario that few thought realistic a week ago. Many observers already saw Draghi safely in the presidency – and with it the danger of another government crisis, even new elections.
But the country could not have afforded this political instability. There is too much at stake for that: Italy is still in the middle of the fourth corona wave. Industry is groaning under high energy prices and needs state support in order not to jeopardize the upswing.
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On top of that, the next tranche of the billions in aid will soon arrive from Brussels, which must be invested sensibly – and must not seep away in the bureaucracy or even in the hands of the mafia. The government must also initiate further reforms, for example in the complicated tax system.
The election campaign could start soon
There is still a lot to do for Draghi. However, he and his cabinet do not have much time for this. Because in May 2023 at the latest, the parliament will be re-elected. There is a danger that after this summer the election campaign will begin – and the “coalition of national unity” will then be crushed again.
In a good year in power, Draghi has shown that he can govern and cares little about party politics – be it the vaccination campaign or rewriting the reconstruction plan. He should use the time wisely. A reform of the presidential election is also overdue: in a Western democracy like Italy, it shouldn’t take a week to find a head of state. The direct election of the President by the people could help.
What this election has again highlighted is the strong polarization in the country. But also that Europe does not have to fear a shift to the right in the third-largest economy in the euro zone for the time being: because the centre-right camp, which includes Silvio Berlusconi’s Forza Italia party, the right-wing populists of the Lega and the post-fascist “Brothers of Italy “ is enough, could not agree on a joint candidacy despite what felt like a majority.
More: Italy’s President: How powerful is the head of state?