Italy is nearing its presidential election and prime minister Mario Draghi is a likely successor to incumbent Sergio Mattarella. «Super Mario» resigning could also cause instability for the Southern European EU member in politics and economy, British news portal The Guardian reports.
In January 2022, Italian legislators in secret ballot will pick a new president for a term of seven years. There are no official candidates in Italy’s presidential elections. Instead, lawmakers cast secret ballots for the seven-year mandate – they can vote for anyone, so long as they are an Italian citizen and aged 50 or over. Names that have cropped up in previous elections have included footballer Francesco Totti and actress Sophia Loren. Voting can drag on for several rounds before a winner emerges.
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Draghi has been regularly mentioned as the frontrunner to succeed Sergio Mattarella, who steps down as head of state on 3 February. 74-year-old Draghi hinted last week that he might be readying for the role. At his end-of-year press conference, he responded to questions about his future, saying: «My personal destiny is of no importance. I have no particular ambitions. I am, if you like, a grandfather in the service of the institutions.»
The only person who is explicitly pursuing the role, according to the Italian media, is the scandal-tainted former prime minister and leader of Forza Italia, Silvio Berlusconi, The Guardian reports.
Italy facing presidential election with PM Draghi likely successor to Mattarella
