Silvio Berlusconi does not want to become president of his country. According to various media, the former Italian prime minister would have communicated this to the centre-right parties that support him.
During an online meeting with representatives of Fratelli d’Italia and Lega, a Berlusconi employee is said to have read a statement. The former prime minister would have let it be known in this way that he is withdrawing from the election race, some Italian newspapers know.
The new president is to succeed Sergio Mattarella as head of state. He is elected by members of the House of Representatives and the Senate, and by representatives of the regions and provinces.
Not enough support
Only the support of Forza Italia, Fratelli d’Italia and Lega was not enough for Berlusconi to make it. He was therefore seeking additional support from MPs from other parties before the vote count begins Monday. Now Berlusconi is said to have called on the three centre-right parties to put forward a new, joint candidate.
Mario Draghi, the current prime minister of Italy, is also running for president. That is why negotiations have been going on in Rome for weeks about who should succeed him. Almost all major parties are represented in his government. If the presidential race leads to new parliamentary elections, the Italian recovery after the corona pandemic risks being crippled.
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