Only the left-wing party took part in the vote, while the right-wing bloc abstained, and uncertainty about the future governance of the eurozone’s third largest economy continues.
After a four-day vote, Italians had hoped for a solution on Thursday, as a two-thirds majority was no longer needed to elect the president in the fourth round, but only an absolute majority.
However, party leaders have allowed the agreement to be reached by Friday, when the fifth round of voting is scheduled.
Former President of the European Central Bank Dragi, who has led the Italian National Unity Government since February 2021, was considered a favorite at the start of the election.
However, the day-to-day negotiations have so far been dominated by fears that his resignation as prime minister could destabilize the current coalition, jeopardizing the reform agenda on which the European Union (EU) Economic Recovery Fund depends and leading to early elections.
Mateo Salvini, the leader of the national conservative party “League”, which is part of the right-wing party bloc, emphasized on Thursday that Dragi was “valuable in the place where he is now”.
Although the president mainly performs ceremonial functions, he has a great deal of influence in times of political crisis, which is common in Italy.
Without a formal agreement between the parties, the members of the electoral college simply refuse to vote, and in all the rounds that have taken place so far, most of the ballots have been left blank.
Meanwhile, the list of potential alternative candidates is changing every day, and in addition to the former prime ministers and judges, Elizabeth Belloni, the head of the intelligence service – the Department of Information and Security – has been offered as a possible head of state.
The candidacies of Pierre Ferdinando Kazini, former Speaker of the House of Commons, and Elizabeth Casellati, Speaker of the Senate, have also been considered.
The Dragi government has so far shown considerable stability and has managed to recover from the economic downturn caused by Covid-19.
Many want him to continue to lead a government that needs to implement serious tax, judicial and public administration reforms, which the EU is demanding in exchange for the nearly € 200 billion pledged to Italy from the economic recovery fund.
However, many experts point out that the parties have already begun preparations for the 2023 parliamentary elections, which will make it increasingly difficult for Dragi to hold a coalition.
Former Senate Speaker Renato Chifani has admitted that he has never experienced such a divided parliament.
However, if someone else who is supported by only one coalition wing is elected president, Dragi could resign as prime minister, calling the Lorento Kodogno, a former chief economist at the Ministry of Finance.
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