Berlusconi said he was taking a step back in the name of unity in the country. He will soon propose a candidate who can achieve the greatest possible consensus in Parliament, it said.
Berlusconi spoke out in favor of Mario Draghi remaining as prime minister. This is necessary to ensure political stability in Italy. The TV czar and head of Rome’s Forza Italia spoke out against Draghi’s candidacy for the presidency in place of Sergio Mattarella, whose seven-year term expires on February 3rd.
1,000 MPs and regional delegates will elect the new Italian President from Monday. The election by secret ballot could drag on for several days. A two-thirds majority is required for the first two ballots. After that, a simple majority is sufficient. The most protracted election was that of Giovanni Leone in 1971, in which there were 23 ballots.
Source: Nachrichten
