The Star – Italian Premier Mario Draghi said Wednesday his government has accomplished most of what it set out do to in fighting the pandemic and restoring economic growth — signaling for the first time that he may be ready to run for the Italian presidency and return the running of the government back to political parties.
Italian media have been speculating for weeks about Draghi’s possible presidential ambitions, given that the seven-year mandate of President Sergio Mattarella expires in February and the broad-based support that Draghi had enjoyed as premier from Italy’s fractious political parties has begun to erode.
The Italian presidency has limited powers and is largely ceremonial. But the president plays a key role in resolving political impasses, and having the internationally respected Draghi in the Quirinale Palace would send a signal of Italian stability and credibility for seven more years.
Draghi can serve Italy best by becoming its next president
Financial Time – The writer is a former editor of The Economist and author of ‘Good Italy, Bad Italy’.
As a fine economist, Mario Draghi knows the theory of the second best. Under a perfect outcome, he would stay as prime minister of Italy for the full five years of the national recovery and resilience plan of mainly EU-funded public investments and reforms that he has put in place since he took office in February. But if the perfect outcome is unattainable, it is right to go for the best imperfect solution. That is for Draghi to be elected as president of the republic by the Italian parliament in late January, and then oversee matters as head of state for the next seven years.
Italy’s Draghi signals he’s willing to become president
NationalPost – Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi signaled on Wednesday he would be willing to become head of state when the position falls free early next year, saying his unity government had already completed much of its agenda.
Parliament will convene to choose a new president in January, and the former European Central Bank chief is the bookmakers’ favorite to replace Sergio Mattarella, who has ruled out another seven-year term.
