New President Sergio Mattarella was hailed by Italian politicians as a man of integrity after his election on Saturday, while Pope Francis was one of the first fellow heads of State to offer congratulations. Premier Matteo Renzi, whose centre-left Democratic Party (PD) nominated Mattarella, celebrated the election with a tweet.
"Good work, president Mattarella," the leader of the centre-left Democratic Party (PD) tweeted. "Viva l'Italia". Giorgio Napolitano, who stepped down as president this month, said that he was happy that Mattarella was his successor.
He added that the 73-year-old Constitutional Court justice was a good man to have as head of State in period in which the government is trying to revamp Italy's political institutions and change the Constitution. "He is certainly a great reference point for the reforms, including those of the Constitution," Napolitano said as he left the Lower House. He added that Mattarella had been elected with a greater majority than expected and said Italian politics had made a "leap forward".
Two-time premier Romano Prodi said Mattarella will know how to "unite the country and represent it at all the highest institutions".
"His institutional experience and skill, combined with his rigorous honesty and sense of ethics, will win him appreciation in Italy and around the world," added Prodi, whose bid to be president in 2013 was scuppered by revolts within the PD.
Most of the parties that had not voted for Mattarella also paid their respects, with Silvio Berlusconi sending a telegram of congratulations and his opposition, centre-right Forza Italia (FI) party describing him as a "serious person".
Lawmakers for the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S) told Mattarella to watch out for the government's "dirty tricks". "A wish of good work to the new head of State," read a statement by the M5S lawmakers, who did not join other parties in applauding when the 73-year was elected. "What's needed is someone who takes the helm, keeps his back straight in the face in the many dirty tricks that this government will try to carry out and is a real defender of the Constitution and representative of national unity". The M5S was extremely critical of Napolitano, saying he was not a fair arbiter of Italian politics, and staged an unsuccessful bid to have him impeached. In a post published on the M5S leader Beppe Grillo's blog, jurist Aldo Giannuli described Mattarella's election as a "modest victory", after predictions that the candidate would be the result of a deal between Renzi and Berlusconi proved mistaken. Giannuli said Mattarella was a "highly respectable person".
The main dissenting voice was that of Northern League leader Matteo Salvini. "Mattarella is not our president," Salvini said, adding that his party will organise a rally against "the left occupying all the seats of power" in Rome on February 28. He added that Mattarella's election showed that the country's centre right was "dead". "Today is a terrible day for Italy," he concluded.
The pope, on the other hand, said he hoped Mattarella would conduct his duties "at the service of unity and harmony in the country." He also wished Mattarella "divine assistance" for "enlightened action in the promotion of the common good, in line with the authentic human and spiritual values of the Italian people". The pope concluded the message with an apostolic blessing for the new president and the whole of Italy.
German President Joachim Gauck said Mattarella will help keep Italy on the path of reform. "You take on this important role at a time when your country and Europe face great challenges," Gauck said in a statement given to ANSA. "I'm confident that as head of State you will successfully participate in the path of reform taken by Italy with astuteness and perseverance". French President Francois Hollande said he was "impatient" to forge the same relations with Mattarella that he had with Napolitano. These bonds will be at "the service of French-Italian friendship and of a stronger, more prosperous Europe", a French government statement said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin sent Mattarella a telegram of congratulations, adding that he hoped he would be able to "conserve and increase" the close ties between Italy and Russia "in all directions."
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