TorontoStar – In a brief, televised statement from the Quirinal presidential palace, Mattarella told the nation he couldn’t let his personal desires prevail over a “sense of responsibility“ during the ”grave health, economic and social emergency” Italy was enduring in the COVID-19 pandemic. He added his commitment “to interpret the expectations and hopes of our fellow citizens.” Mattarella’s first term ends on Thursday. Ahead of the presidential election this week, Mattarella had even rented an apartment in Rome to prepare for his move from the presidential palace.
Italy’s president, 80, is recruited to stay on for 2nd term
CTVNews – Italian President Sergio Mattarella was pulled away from his impending retirement and re-elected Saturday to a second seven-year term as the country’s head of state, ending days of political impasse by party leaders that risked eroding the nation’s credibility.
TheGlobeAndMail – Six days of voting filled with squabbling, confusion and backroom manoeuvring left the leadership of the Italian government exactly where it was before this week’s presidential election. President Sergio Mattarella, the 80-year-old head of state, was re-elected Saturday night to a new term he did not want, but that he seemed almost certain to accept in order to avoid political chaos.
Sergio Mattarella: At 80, Italy president re-elected on amid successor row
BBC – Italian President Sergio Mattarella has agreed to serve a second term after coalition parties failed to agree on a compromise candidate for the office.
The 80-year-old emerged as the most popular choice after six days of often tense voting in Rome.
He had expressed a desire to leave office, but local media reported Prime Minister Mario Draghi had convinced him to stay for the “stability” of Italy.
He was formally re-elected on Saturday, following an eighth round of voting.
Speaking after Saturday evening’s vote, Mr Mattarella that he felt a “sense of responsibility” to remain in office in light of the health and economic challenges facing the country.
The former Constitutional Court judge added that “duty to the nation must prevail over my own personal choices”.
Sergio Mattarella reelected Italy’s president amid deep divisions
TheGuardian – Mario Draghi, the prime minister, had also urged Mattarella, 80, to remain in post “for the good and stability of the country”. Mattarella had been due to step down on 3 February, and before succumbing to pressure had repeatedly said he did not want another term. Advertisement “He had other plans for his future,” said Julia Unterberger, a senator from the small SVP party who was among the party whips who met Mattarella before the final vote. “Given the situation, we begged him to stay for another term.” Parliamentarians applauded after Mattarella clinched victory. After the result, Draghi said: “Sergio Mattarella’s reelection as president of the republic is splendid news for Italians. I am grateful to the president for his choice to support the very strong will of parliament to reelect him for a second term.”
Italian Lawmakers Re-Elect Sergio Mattarella as President, Preserving Status Quo
TheNewYorkTimes – Mr. Mattarella has presided over a chaotic seven years in which the country swung wildly from the left to the right, acting as the guardrails of Italy’s democracy.
But the election of Mr. Mattarella, 80 and reluctant to serve again, after six disastrous days of secret votes in which different political interests within the governing coalition failed to rally around a new candidate, revealed the fractious politics and crumbling alliances just beneath the surface of Italy’s national unity government.
Mattarella re-elected president ‘Splendid news’ says Draghi, ‘victory for all’ says Letta
Sergio Mattarella was re-elected Italian president Saturday on the eighth ballot of MPs, Senators and regional representatives after six days and seven inconclusive votes forced political parties to beg the outgoing head of state to rethink his retirement plans.
The vote counters signalled to the 1,009 grand electors that the 80-year-old leftwing Christian, former minister and ex-Constitutional justice had reached the magic 505 vote mark, sparking a standing ovation that lasted over four minutes.
Mattarella got 759 votes out of a total of 983 voters, compared to the 665 he garnered in his first election in 2015. He is now the second most voted president after Sandro Pertini with 832 in 1978. In third place, ex premier and Bank of Italy governor Carlo Azeglio Ciampi got 707 votes in 1999.
Mattarella è il presidente di tutti, anche sui social
AGI – #SergioMattarella e #DiMaioOut diventano trending topics su Twitter, mentre Giorgia Meloni dice: “Un centrodestra parlamentare non esiste”.
Un centrodestra parlamentare ha dimostrato di non esistere nell’occasione delle elezioni del presidente della Repubblica” ha detto Giorgia Meloni con un tweet, rilanciando un’intervista. La nuova elezione di Sergio Mattarella produceconseguenze politiche rilevanti, e la comunicazione dei leader sui social ne è la conferma.
Tra gli hashtag più utilizzati, entrati tra i trending topics nelle ultime ore, troviamo #SergioMattarella – che ha superato #Quirinale 2022 – e #DiMaioOut, utilizzato da persone deluse dalle scelte politiche del leader del Movimento 5 Stelle. Anche dagli account social media di Giorgia Meloni vengono riprese le dichiarazioni di Luigi Di Maio del 2018, quando annunciava l’impeachment per Sergio Mattarella.
