Over half of Italians opt for Draghi as president -poll

(ANSA) - ROME, JAN 11 - Over half of the Italian population, 52%, see Premier Mario Draghi as the figure best equipped to be the nation's next president, according to a SWG poll released on Tuesday.
    This figure rises to 58% among centre-right voters and 71% among centre-left ones.
    Lawmakers from both houses of parliament and regional representatives are set to start the process of electing a new head of State on January 24 with President Sergio Mattarella's seven-year term coming to a close.
    If former ECB chief Draghi is elected president, it could lead to early elections.
    This is because many find it hard to imagine the broad spectrum of parties supporting his national unity executive agreeing to get behind another figure.
    The second-best candidate for the Italian people is Justice Minister Marta Cartabia, according to the poll, with 29% seeing her as good fit for the job, followed by European Economic Affairs Commissioner and ex-premier Paolo Gentiloni on 28% and Senate Speaker Elisabetta Casellati on 26%.
    Around 59% of voters would like to see a president who is not aligned to a political area.
    However, 39% of centre-right voters would like ex-premier and media billionaire Silvio Berlusconi to become head of State, the poll said.
    The level of support for Berlusconi being president falls to 18% among the overall population, the poll said. (ANSA).