Draghi government sworn in

(ANSA) - ROME, FEB 13 - Premier Mario Draghi and his new cabinet were sworn in before President Sergio Mattarella on Saturday, meaning the new government is now fully operational.
    The executive led by the former president of the European Central Bank is a sort of government of national unity assembled to prevent the country having to hold early elections in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic following the collapse of ex-premier Giuseppe Conte's administration.
    It is supported by all the parties in parliament, except for the right-wing Brothers of Italy (FdI) group.
    This means no one party will be able to bring down Draghi's government on its own.
    Eight of the 23 ministers in the new government are non-political experts.
    The rest of the cabinet is made up of figures from the wide range of parties across the political spectrum that are supporting the government.
    Four are from the 5-Star Movement (M5S), while the centre-left Democratic Party (PD), Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia (FI) and Matteo Salvini's League have three each.
    Ex-premier Matteo Renzi's centrist Italia Viva (IV), which brought down Conte's government down by withdrawing its support, and the left-wing LeU group have one each.
    Although the non-politicians outnumber the technocrats, the experts hold many of the most important posts.
    These include Economy Minister Daniele Franco, Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese and Justice Minister Marta Cartabia, who was the first woman president of Italy's Constitutional Court.
    Eight ministers are women and 15 are men.
    The new government will face confidence votes in the Senate and the Lower House on Wednesday and Thursday respectively. (ANSA).