Lawmakers from both houses of
parliament and regional representatives are taking part in the
second ballot of Italy's presidential election on Tuesday after
the fist round of voting proved inconclusive, as expected.
The majority of the 'grand electors', 672, cast blank papers on
Monday with no deal so far between the major political parties
on who should replace President Sergio Mattarella, whose
seven-year term is coming to an end.
A majority of two-thirds of the 1,009 grand electors is needed
to vote in a new president in the first three ballots.
After that, so as of Thursday, a simple majority of 505 is
sufficient.
Talks have intensified between the political leaders and on
Monday Premier Mario Draghi had separate meetings with League
leader Matteo Salvini, Democratic Party Chief Enrico Letta and
5-Star Movement head and ex-premier Giuseppe Conte.
Draghi is among the favourites to be the nation's next
president, although if the former ECB chief is elected head of
State, it could lead to early elections.
This is because many find it hard to imagine the broad spectrum
of parties supporting his national unity executive agreeing to
get behind another figure.
At the weekend Salvini said it would be "dangerous" for Draghi
to leave the role of premier at the moment.
Under the Constitution, the head of State acts as a sort of
referee of Italian politics and the role is especially important
at times of political crisis.
The parties of the centre right - the League, Silvio
Berlusconi's Forza Italia (FI) and the Brothers of Italy (FdI)
party - on Tuesday proposed three possible candidates . former
education minister Letizia Moratti, former prosecutor Carlo
Nordio and former Senate Speaker Marcello Pera.
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