Draghi agrees to try to form Italian government

ROME — Former European Central Bank President Mario Draghi agreed Wednesday to try to form a new Italian government. 

Draghi, who is not a member of any political party, was summoned by President Sergio Mattarella after talks aimed at reassembling the previous coalition government ended in failure. The 15-month-old alliance led by the center-left Democrats and the populist 5Star Movement collapsed after former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi pulled his Italia Viva party from the government over differences on the economic recovery plan. 

Draghi, an economist who is credited with steering the eurozone through the sovereign debt crisis, said he accepted the mandate from Mattarella “provisionally.”

Draghi said Mattarella reminded him of “the difficult moment Italy is facing with the health crisis, and its very serious impact on people, the economy and Italian society.”

The immediate tasks for the next government are “to defeat the pandemic, complete the vaccination campaign, provide answers to the people and relaunch the country,” Draghi said. “We have the resources of the EU, which are a great opportunity to do a lot for the younger generation and strengthen social cohesion.”

Mattarella called on Draghi to appoint a “high profile government” as elections could not be held safely during the pandemic and would lead to months being wasted when Italy needs a “fully functional” government. 

It is not clear yet which political forces could support a Draghi government. 

The Democrats, Italia Viva and Silvio Berlusconi’s Forza Italia party have indicated a willingness to back him, and Matteo Salvini, leader of the right-wing League, has not ruled out giving his support.

But the 5Stars, the biggest party in parliament, are divided and at risk of splitting over whether to support a technocratic government. 

It is not clear whether Draghi would favor a government of technocrats, as Mario Monti did in 2012, or include some political figures to increase buy-in from the parties. 

Draghi said he would start consultations with political forces and “trusts that unity will emerge.”