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ELECTION

No clear favourites in presidential race as Italy heads for fourth round of voting

The third round of voting in Italy's presidential elections on Wednesday resulted in another deadlock, prompting a fourth vote on Thursday.

Published: 26 January 2022 15:07 CET
Updated: 26 January 2022 16:43 CET
Italy's Presidential Quirinale palace in Rome.
Italy's Presidential Quirinale palace in Rome. Photo by Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP

Italy’s presidential election is set to drag on for several more days after a third round of voting by secret ballot produced no clear winner – as expected.

Two-thirds of the vote would be needed at this stage to produce a winner, but no candidate has come close.

Doubts over candidates led some 412 of the 1,000 or so voting MPs, senators and regional representatives to cast blank ballots on Wednesday.

READ ALSO: The Italian vocabulary you’ll need to follow the presidential election

There were 125 votes for outgoing president Sergio Mattarella, followed by 114 for Guido Crosetto, a businessman and co-founder of the far-right Brothers of Italy party, who has so far not been considered a serious contender.

Prime Minister Mario Draghi, who was the frontrunner for the post ahead of the election, pocketed just five votes as the country’s parties apparently panicked at the idea of pulling him from his job at such a sensitive time.

Political analysts have warned that moving the former European Central Bank head to the presidential palace could deal a fatal blow to an already weak coalition government, sparking snap elections.

 

The bar to win will be significantly lowered in the next round of voting on Thursday, as the threshold for victory now falls from a two-thirds majority to an absolute majority of 505.

Italy’s president is a largely ceremonial figure but wields great political power in crises. 

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POLITICS

Italian tourism minister charged with Covid-era fraud

Prosecutors on Friday charged Italy's tourism minister with fraud relating to government redundancy funds claimed by her publishing companies during the coronavirus pandemic.

Published: 4 May 2024 09:19 CEST
Italian tourism minister charged with Covid-era fraud

Opposition lawmakers immediately requested the resignation of Daniela Santanche, a leading member of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s far-right Brothers of Italy party.

Santanche, 63, has strongly rejected the allegations, including in a defiant appearance in parliament last year.

“The Milan prosecutor’s office today requested the indictment of the Minister Santanche and other persons as well as the companies Visibilia Editore and Visibilia Concessionaria,” the office said in a brief statement.

They were indicted “for alleged fraud of the INPS (National Institute for Social Security) in relation to alleged irregularities in the use of the Covid 19 redundancy fund, for a total of 13 employees”.

According to media reports, Visibilia is accused of obtaining state funds intended to help companies struggling with the pandemic to temporarily lay off staff — when in fact the 13 employees continued to work.

Santanche sold her stake in Visibilia when she joined the government of Meloni, who took office in October 2022.

The investigation has been going on for months, but with the decision by prosecutors to indict, opposition parties said Santanche should resign.

“We expect the prime minister to have a minimum of respect for the institutions and ask for Daniela Santanche’s resignation,” said Elly Schlein, leader of the centre-left Democratic Party.

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