Silvio Berlusconi has given up his candidacy for the presidency of Italy.
At a virtual top-level meeting of centre-right parties on Saturday evening, the former prime minister announced that he was withdrawing from the race for the highest political position.
The party leader of Forza Italia was not even present at the video switch and had his decision read out, it said.
The 85-year-old politician had recently tried hard to win enough voters for the votes that begin on Monday. Now the four-time head of government, who, in addition to his political appearance, has made a name for himself through scandals and criminal proceedings, has now demanded a joint proposal for a candidate from the right-wing parties Forza Italia, Lega and Fratelli d'Italia. Lega boss Matteo Salvini said the centre-right now has "the honor and responsibility to make its proposals".
Most recently, Prime Minister Mario Draghi was the favorite for the election.
But Berlusconi is urging Draghi to remain in his current position.
Other party leaders are also against changing the former head of the ECB, which could result in early new elections.
Current President Sergio Mattarella's seven-year term ends on February 3.
It is difficult, even for experts, to predict who might succeed him.
More than 1000 senators, deputies and regional representatives are called to vote.
Several names for the presidential candidacy have been circulating in the Italian press for weeks, including EU Economic Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni, Justice Minister Marta Cartabia and 82-year-old Giuliano Amato, a fervent European and co-author of the European Constitution.