“See you guys.” With these words and a somewhat forced smile, Italy’s outgoing Prime Minister Mario Draghi said goodbye to the last European Council last Friday, 20 months at the head of the government and an early retreat produced by the insatiable appetites of Italian parties, always quarreling and always entangled in Machiavellian court intrigues, even if the world lives in it. times of war and crisis economic.
“I will not make any recommendations to the new Director,” said Draghi from Brussels, adding that this is what he did. leave him homework. “The ministers and the chairman of the Council of Ministers have prepared dossiers containing all the problems that will have to be faced in the near future,” he explained. He added that the aim is for the new government to “be able to start its activities quickly”.
The outgoing Italian Prime Minister and the ex-president of the European Central Bank (ECB) will meet this Sunday last act of the period as Head of the Italian Government. At the ceremony At Palazzo Chigi, The Transalpine Executive’s main headquarters will be handed over to Italy’s new far-right prime minister, Giorgia Meloni. both of these will share the stage It will also be broadcast live on television at a very symbolic moment in the courtyard of Palazzo Chigi and then in the Hall of Galleons. The parallels end here.
A breath of success
thought man saved the euro Being the head of the ECB (in 2012, when the single currency was in an unprecedented crisis), He took office as president in February 2021. President Sergio Mattarella asked him to do this, and the transalpine political parties – all the main parties except Meloni’s – they unanimously supported him To establish a national unity government. Draghi agreed.
This was because the country’s political class was in a difficult position. Italy had problems in those days. vaccination campaign The economic crisis against covid was looming, and all this created unease around the figure of the then prime minister, Giuseppe Conte. Already in office, Draghi did not disappoint those who elected him. Made Italy an example to followIt is an internationally recognized country for its GDP, which closed the year with an increase of more than 6% and, together with Draghi’s maneuvers to strengthen the European union, gave Rome a reputation not seen in Europe for decades.
antipodes
Even this year, with the war in Ukraine and its consequences, Draghi is surprised. In a matter of months, he did something he hadn’t been able to do for years: reduce Italy’s dependence on Russian gas. And in parallel, it continued to maintain order and adhere to the goals that Brussels demanded. recovery plan funds Post-pandemic to Italy by the European Union.
All this contradicts the starting point. Meloni, who came to power after the early elections Later, due to little weight and without major ongoing conflicts, some parties withdrew their support for Draghi’s government. What prompted the ex-banker’s resignation in July. Two of these formations (Matteo Salvini League and Silvio Berlusconi’s Forza Italia) are the main disgruntled partners of the new Meloni Government, which launched its legislature today. Without a team that excited the elite like it was when Draghi came to power.