The M5S abandons Draghi and opens a government crisis

The

(M5S), one of the main parties in the government coalition in Italy, abstained from voting today on a confidence motion for Prime Minister Mario Draghi in the Senate, which has opened a government crisis in the country.

The senators of the M5S left the Upper House to not vote on the motion regarding

euros to alleviate the effects of inflation, withdrawing their support for the head of the Government, who despite everything exceeded the motion of confidence with 172 votes in favor and 39 against.

Draghi, supported by a coalition of national unity,

despite continuing to have a parliamentary majority, while the rest of his partners ask him to go to Parliament to verify support and continue leading the Executive.

Now it is expected that Draghi will go to the head of state,

, to see the next steps to be taken in the possible scenarios that are opening up and that range from verifying support for the Government in Parliament to early elections, passing through the resignation of the prime minister.

The "premier" had insistently reiterated in recent days that his government, emerged to face the pandemic and the management of the millionaire European funds, only made sense with the support of the M5S, winner of the last general elections of 2018.

Draghi even rejected the in extremis attempts of the Minister of Relations with the Parliament, Federico D'Inca, to vote the decree article by article and avoid the confidence motion,

to speed up the processing of laws.

Today, all the leaders of the formations, such as the conservative

(Forza Italia), the far-right

(Liga), the centrist

(Italia Viva) and the progressive

(Democratic Party) were in favor of Draghi remains at the head of the Government and harshly criticized the M5S.

Letta urged Draghi to go to Parliament in the coming days to indicate

and for all parties to say whether it is convincing or not."

"What is said there next week will be decisive", he added, while Berlusconi said that

, but he blamed him if "early elections in such a delicate moment for Italy".

The biggest supporter of advancing the elections is the leader of the ultras Brothers of Italy,

, the only formal opposition to Draghi in Parliament, a measure that Salvini and Letta also opt for if finally the prime minister does not continue in the position.

In the Upper House, where 211 senators voted,

(106), adding 172 yeses and 39 noes, while the 62 of the M5S did not vote.

The spokeswoman for the M5S in the Senate,

, confirmed that they were not going to vote on the decree because the Government had not accepted any of the essentially economic proposals that the leader of the M5S,

, had made to Draghi during the meeting that they had maintained a few days ago to try to bring positions closer together.

Conte, also confronted with Draghi for sending weapons to Ukraine, has assured that not having voted today does not mean that they are leaving the coalition but that his party

but entering "a phase of government completely new" because the measures of the aid decree "are insufficient".

"We are not responsible" for the fall of the Government, but "those who do not give answers to the country" are, Castellone summed up, assuring that the M5S is the "defender of dignity."

Conforms to The Trust Project criteria

Know more

• Italy

• Senate

• Ukraine

• Anthony Conte

• Add

• mario draghi

• Silvio Berlusconi