Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2023

Daily Sabah logo

عربي
  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • World
  • Mid-East
  • Europe
  • Americas
  • Asia Pacific
  • Africa
  • Syrian Crisis
  • Islamophobia

Virus-hit Italy plunges into political crisis as government nears collapse

by French Press Agency - AFP

ROME Jan 13, 2021 - 10:02 pm GMT+3
Leader of Italia Viva party Matteo Renzi gestures during a press conference in the group room of the Chamber of Deputies in Rome, Italy, Jan. 13, 2021. (EPA Photo)
Leader of Italia Viva party Matteo Renzi gestures during a press conference in the group room of the Chamber of Deputies in Rome, Italy, Jan. 13, 2021. (EPA Photo)
by French Press Agency - AFP Jan 13, 2021 10:02 pm
RECOMMENDED
Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman and former President Dmitry Medvedev smiles during a meeting on the military-industrial complex at the Kremlin, in Moscow, Russia, Sept. 20, 2022. (Getty Images)

'All of Ukraine will burn' due to US supplies: Russia's Medvedev

Russian-invasion-of-Ukraine

Italy was plunged into political crisis Wednesday after former premier Matteo Renzi withdrew from the ruling coalition, risking the collapse of the government in the middle of a raging coronavirus pandemic.

Renzi announced the resignation of two cabinet ministers and a junior minister from his Italia Viva party, in a split that deprives Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte of his parliamentary majority.

Tensions between the two men had been rising for weeks over the handling of the COVID-19 outbreak that has claimed more than 80,000 lives in Italy.

They came to a head over plans to spend more than 200 billion euros ($243.15 billion) in European Union recovery funds, that Renzi warned risked being wasted.

But critics accused him of seeking more power for his party, which is polling at just 3% – and warned that now is not the time.

Conte had earlier Wednesday visited President Sergio Mattarella, the ultimate arbiter of Italian political crises, to find a way out of the impasse.

"For sure, the country would definitely not understand a crisis ... people are asking us to go on, in such a complex, difficult situation," Conte warned.

Ready for discussions

At a news conference in Rome, Renzi said he would still support the government on help for businesses and measures to stem the spread of COVID-19.

He held out an olive branch to Conte, saying that how the crisis panned out was "up to the prime minister".

"We are ready for all kinds of discussions," he said.

Conte had earlier suggested that the coalition could regroup around a new pact to last until the next parliamentary elections due in 2023.

There are two ways out of the crisis that could avoid the nuclear option of snap elections.

The prime minister could seek a vote of confidence in parliament, in the hope of securing enough support from opposition lawmakers to fill Renzi's place.

Italia Viva's 18 senators hold the balance of power in the Senate, although Conte's majority is solid in the lower house, the Chamber of Deputies.

Conte could otherwise resign and seek a quick reappointment from Mattarella at the head of a reshuffled cabinet that gives Renzi bigger jobs.

But the Italia Viva leader said once Conte quits, his old coalition could also agree on a new figurehead. "There is not just one name," he said.

"All options are open," said Lorenzo Castellani, a political expert at Rome's University of Luiss.

He suggested any new government would still include the main parties in the current coalition, notably the populist Five Star Movement (M5S) and the center-left Democratic Party (PD).

'Unforgivable' distraction

Both have so far stood by Conte and a leading PD member, former minister Andrea Orlando, was quick to condemn Renzi's move, saying it was "a serious mistake done by a few which we will all pay for."

Health Minister Roberto Speranza warned earlier that it would be "unforgivable" to distract the government's focus now.

"Let's keep political infighting, real or presumed electoral tensions, far and separate from the health of Italians," he told the lower parliamentary chamber.

But Renzi insisted he was right to argue for changes for the 222.9-billion-euro recovery plan, which was approved by the cabinet late Tuesday – although the Italia Viva ministers abstained.

RECOMMENDED
Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman and former President Dmitry Medvedev smiles during a meeting on the military-industrial complex at the Kremlin, in Moscow, Russia, Sept. 20, 2022. (Getty Images)

'All of Ukraine will burn' due to US supplies: Russia's Medvedev

Russian-invasion-of-Ukraine
  • shortlink copied
  • RELATED TOPICS
    fight-against-terrorism DEUTSCHE-BANK US-LIBYA-RELATIONS
    KEYWORDS
    italy matteo renzi giuseppe conte italian politics europe
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    A Turkish police officer stands guard in front of the closed Dutch Consulate in Istanbul, Türkiye, Feb. 1, 2023. (Reuters Photo)

    Türkiye angered over 'intentional' closure of foreign missions

    türkiye-eu-relations
    A Kangal dog and a lamb are seen in Elazığ, eastern Türkiye, Feb. 3, 2023. (IHA Photo)

    Turkish Kangal dog embraces role of mother to lamb

    KANGAL-DOG

    Over 200 flights cancelled in Istanbul due to expected snowstorm

    snowstorm

    Record-setting 'generational' Arctic blast grips NE US, Canada

    United-States
    No Image
    COVID-19 in US: 1 year, half a million deaths
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021