(ANSA) - ROME, JAN 29 - Sergio Mattarella was re-elected Italian president Saturday on the eighth ballot of MPs, Senators and regional representatives after seven inconclusive votes forced political parties to beg the outgoing head of state to rethink his retirement plans.
The vote counters signalled to the 1,009 grand electors that the 80-year-old leftwing Christian, former minister and ex-Constitutional justice had reached the magic 505 vote mark, sparking a loud round of applause that lasted over four minutes.
Mattarella got 759 votes out of a total of 983 voters, compared to the 665 or 65.9% he garnered in his first election in 2015.
He is now the second most voted president after Sandro Pertini with 832 in 1978.
in third place, ex premier and Bank of Italy governor Carlo Azeglio Ciampi got 707 votes in 1999.
Mattarella said after being informed of his re-election that "the difficult days spent in the course of the grave health, economic and social emergency summon a sense of responsibility", in his first remarks after his re-election. "These conditions impose not to shrink from the duties to which we are called and naturally they must prevail over other considerations and different personal prospects", he said.
He said that there was "the commitment to interpret the expectations and hopes of our fellow citizens".
Premier Mario Draghi said "Sergio Mattarella's re-election as Italian president is splendid news for the Italians. I'm grateful to the president for his decision to satisfy the extremely strong will of the parliament to re-elect him for a second term".
Former premier and centre-left Democratic Party (PD) leader Enrico Letta, who had led the call for Mattarella to be re-elected along with the League's Matteo Salvini, said "it is a victory for all, I think parliament has shown wisdom because Mattarella was the president that the Italians wanted".
Former premier and populist 5-Star Movement (M5S) leader Giuseppe Conte said "Buon lavoro, Presidente Mattarella", wishing the head of state well in his work.
Antonio Tajani, no 2 in the centre-right Forza Italia (FI) party of three-time ex-premier and media magnate Silvio Berlusconi,, who had unsuccessfully sought the presidency himself, said Mattarella was the "custodian of unity".
Ettore Rosato, chair of former premier Matteo Renzi's Italia Viva (IV) party, said "we still have a great President! Buon lavoro Sergio Mattarella".
Mattarella's re-election became breaking news worldwide.
Former premier and European Economic Affairs Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni, who had been a long shot for the presidency himself, said the re-election was "an excellent message of stability".
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said "dear Mattarella, Italy can count on the EU".
European Council President Charles Michel congratulated Mattarella and said under his guide Italy would continue to help the EU grow.
French President Emmanuel Macron said "best wishes Sergio, I'm counting on you for a strong Europe".
USA Chargé d'Affaires Thomas Smitham tweeted: "Congratulations to Sergio Mattarella on being reelected as President of the Republic of Italy. We will continue to work together to promote shared values and strengthen the transatlantic partnership." The head of the Italian Bishops Conference (CEI), Cardinal Gualtiero Bassetti, voiced "keen satisfaction" at the re-election of the head of state.
The head of the only opposition to Mario Draghi's national unity government, Giorgia Meloni of the hard right Brothers of Italy (FdI) party, posted a video of the electors feting Mattarella captioned "what are they celebrating for?" FdI candidate, magistrate Carlo Nordio, got 90 votes, including the FdI's 63.
Earlier majority whips said "we asked the president to unpack his boxes," noting that Mattarella was already in the process of moving to a flat he had rented in Rome.
Draghi had reportedly told Mattarella and party leaders it was right for the head of state to remain in place "for the good and stability of the country", sources said.
Mattarella's precedessor Giorgio Napolitano is the only Italian president to have been re-elected, albeit reluctantly, serving another two years before standing down.
Neither the centre-left or the centre-right bloc had enough votes on its own to carry the election.
Ina previous vote the electors failed to give Italy its first woman head of state as Senate Speaker Elisabetta Caselllati fell short, while intelligence service chief Elisabetta Belloni was also briefly in the running but was never put to the vote.
Despite polling in the single figures in successive votes, Draghi had remained the bookies' favourite to get the top institutional post in the eurozone's third-largest economy and his chances are reportedly rising as the stalemate continued.
But many MPs feared the election of the economist and euro's saviour as ECB chief would lead to them losing their seats in a snap election a year before the natural end of the parliamentary term.
Many MPs and the domestic and international business community were also worried that the departure of Mr 'Whatever It Takes' might jeopardise key reforms to the justice and tax systems and public administration needed to secure almost 200 billion euros in EU post-COVID recovery funds, helping turn Italy into a more modern, efficient and greener economy.
European media said after Mattarella's re-election that EU leaders were relieved that both he and Draghi were staying on in their posts.
Rightwing League heavyweight Giancarlo Giorgetti said the government now needed "tweaking" to address issues in a "more constructive" way and avert a "year-long and damaging election campaign".
Letta said it was up to Draghi to decide on any possible reshuffle.
League leader Salvini said he hoped the "quarrels" among majority parties over the presidential election would not impact the government.
Conte said "we achieved all our goals apart from not electing a woman". He said the M5S had asked Draghi for a meeting to seal a pact for the country.
Foreign Minister and 5-Star Movement former leader Luigi Di Maio said: "some leaderships have failed, they have fuelled tensions and divisions: we must work to unite, to enlarge; politics in these days has been the victim of itself: luckily parliament resolved this stalemate also thanks to the contribution of Premier Mario Draghi."
The president is a largely ceremonial figure representing national unity and upholding the Constitution as a sort of moral compass for the nation, but the person can wield power in government crises by naming premiers and rejecting ministers, while they may also ask parliament to reconsider legislation.
Mattarella is expected to be sworn in and give his inaugural address on Thursday, the day his current term ends.
People celebrated in the square outside the Quirinale chanting "Sergio, Sergio". (ANSA).