As cost-of-living skyrockets, Italy's government faces implosion
Italy government on shaky ground
The 5-Star Movement, one of the Italian ruling governmentcoalition's members, announced on Thursday that it will not participate in a parliamentary confidence vote. This puts Prime Minister Mario Draghi's coalition government in danger of collapsing. Reuters reported that Draghi himself has also announced that he would not lead an administration without 5-Star's participation. Similarly, other coalition parties have threatened to leave the government if 5-Star boycotts the Senate vote that is scheduled for later in the day.Giuseppe Conte, the head of the 5-Star party, declared late on Wednesday that his party will not support the vote of confidence.
Addressing a steep increase in energy prices, he remarked, "I have a strong fear that September will be a time when many families will face the terrible choice of paying their electricity bill or buying food." According to Reuters, the minister said that the government ought to be doing more to address the growing social problems in the "eurozone's third-largest economy".
The 5-Star party's decision throws Italy's government into disarray, and also poses a threat to the country's efforts to secure billions of euros in EU funding, and may trigger early national elections this fall.
As per Reuters, the confidence vote on Wednesday involves a 26 billion euro cost-of-living help package. Additionally, it has a clause permitting Rome to construct a massive trash incinerator, a plan that 5-Star has consistently resisted.
In Italy, elections are expected to take place in the first half of 2023. However, due to mounting tensions among coalition members, who have been on opposite ends of the political spectrum since early 2021, early elections are a huge possibility.
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Right-leaning League and center-left Democratic Party (PD), two of the coalition partners, said on Wednesday that if the government were to fall, early elections would likely take place.
If Italy goes to the election, it would be rare. Fall in Italy is when governments typically prepare their annual budgets, which are then approved by the end of the year.
(With inputs from agencies)
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