No candidate achieved the required majority of 505 votes in Thursday’s election round. A successor will be elected to President Sergio Mattarella, whose seven-year term ends on February 3. From the fourth ballot, an absolute majority is sufficient. In the first three ballots, a two-thirds majority was required to elect the President.
Many eligible voters had also announced before the ballot that they wanted to cast an empty and therefore invalid ballot paper. 158 parliamentarians elected Mattarella on Thursday, but Mattarella has not signaled any intention to extend his mandate. A dedicated polling station has been set up in the Parliament car park for voters who have tested positive for the coronavirus or who are in quarantine.
Cross-party candidate wanted
Meanwhile, negotiations among the political forces to find a cross-party candidate are in full swing. Matteo Salvini, head of the right-wing Lega, and Social Democrat leader Enrico Letta held talks about the election of a new head of state. The candidates are Prime Minister Mario Draghi, Justice Minister Marta Cartabia, the diplomat Elisabetta Belloni and the ex-President of the Chamber of Deputies, Pier Ferdinando Casini.
Prime Minister Draghi is said to be the favorite to switch from prime minister to president, but this could lead to snap elections. Political instability is feared should the Draghi government come to an end.
Next ballot on Friday
Another ballot is planned for Friday. A total of 1,009 electors took part in the election of the head of state in Rome. These are the 630 deputies and 321 senators (including six life senators) and 58 delegates from the 20 Italian regions. The presidential election takes place by secret ballot.
All Italians who have reached the age of 50 and who are in full possession of their civil and political rights are eligible for the office of President. The presidents are proposed by the parties. The President is elected for a seven-year term. There have been twelve presidents in Italy since the founding of the republic, and so far no woman has been elected head of state in Italy.
Source: Nachrichten
