Europe 1 with AFP 6:58 p.m., July 21, 2022

After the resignation of Prime Minister Mario Draghi, President Mattarella announced on Thursday the dissolution of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, which will automatically lead to the holding of early elections this fall.

The favorite in the upcoming election is the so-called "center-right" coalition, which brings together Forza Italia and the far right.

Italian President Sergio Mattarella announced on Thursday the dissolution of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, which will automatically lead to the holding of early elections this fall in the third largest economy in the euro zone.

"The political situation has led to this decision," the president said in a televised address, referring to Prime Minister Mario Draghi's resignation after three major parties from his coalition defected on Thursday in a confidence vote. in the Senate.

Back-to-school elections

"The discussion, the vote and the manner in which this vote was expressed yesterday in the Senate" demonstrated the absence of "parliamentary support for the government and the absence of prospects for giving birth to a new majority", he said. he explains.

"This condition made the early dissolution of parliament inevitable", which "is always the last option", he added.

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The Italian media put forward several possible dates for these elections: September 18 and 25, or October 2.

The arch-favorite in the upcoming election is the so-called "center-right" coalition, which brings together Forza Italia, Silvio Berlusconi's right-wing party, and the far right represented by the League of populist anti-migrant tribune Matteo Salvini and Fratelli from Italy.

Fratelli d'Italia, a post-fascist party chaired by Giorgia Meloni, is given the lead in voting intentions, with nearly 24%, ahead of the Democratic Party (22%) and the League (14%), according to a poll by the SWG institute realized on July 18th.

Forza Italia would collect 7.4% of the vote and the 5 Star Movement (M5S) 11.2%.