(ANSA) - ROME, DEC 8 - Mario Draghi is not interested in the
European Commission presidency, sources close to the former
premier, Bank of Italy chief and president of the European
Central Bank said on Friday after La Repubblica newspaper
reported that French President Emmanuel Macron is contacting
other European leaders in relation to a possible agreement on
his candidature as the next president of the European executive.
Last month Draghi, a highly respected figure in Europe, admitted
to
feeling "concern" about the future of the bloc.
"Let's hope that the founding values that put us together, keep
us together," Draghi said at the presentation of a new book by
Italian journalist Aldo Cazzullo.
"The (previous) growth model has dissolved and we need to
reinvent a way of growing, but we need to become a State to do
this.
"The European market is too small, there are many markets and,
therefore, the small businesses that start in Europe either sell
up or go to the United States as soon as they grow.
"The most important thing now is to figure out how to set up
European funds to finance defence and the fight against climate
change.
"Then we need a coordinated foreign policy, because the foreign
ministers see each other, but do not agree.
"We need to think about greater political integration, about a
real Parliament of Europe, to start thinking that we are (both)
Italian and European". (ANSA).