Ex-premier Giuseppe Conte said Monday
that his 5-Star Movement (M5S) would not back Silvio Berlusconi
to become Italy's next president.
Lawmakers from both houses of parliament and representatives of
Italy's regions are set to elect a new head of State next month
with President Sergio Mattarerlla's seven-year term ending in
February.
"It may not be made official that he (Berlusconi) is bidding to
become president but, if he stands, he won't have the votes of
the Movement," Conte told La7 television.
The centre-left Democratic Party (PD) has also said it would not
back former centre-right premier and media billionaire
Berlusconi to become president.
Giorgia Meloni, the leader of the right-wing Brothers of Italy
(FdI) party, recently said she was in favour of Forza Italia
leader Silvio Berlusconi becoming president, adding that, above
all, the next head of State must be a "patriot".
FdI is part of the centre-right alliance along with the League
and Forza Italia but, unlike them, it is not supporting Premier
Mario Draghi's broad government of unity.
Under the Constitution, the head of State acts as a sort of
referee of Italian politics and the role is especially important
at times of political crisis.
This was seen, for example, in how Mattarella paved the way for
Draghi's government of national unity early in 2021 after
Conte's executive lost its majority in parliament.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
