On 21 July, the head of the Italian government Mario Draghi submitted his resignation, after several parties in his supporting coalition refused to give the vote of confidence requested by his national unity executive for proposed legislation. These parties are the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement, the far-right League and the right-wing Forza Italia. Although he still has the support of the Democratic Party (PD) and several smaller centrist groupings, Draghi prefrred to terminate his mandate.
Lacking any alternative majority, President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella has therefore dissolved the Parliament. Legislative elections are due to take place on 25 September. The latest polls show the right-wing coalition led by Fratelli d’Italia (radical right) as the favourite.
Receive the best of European journalism straight to your inbox every Thursday
Was this article useful? If so we are delighted! It is freely available because we believe that the right to free and independent information is essential for democracy. But this right is not guaranteed forever, and independence comes at a cost. We need your support in order to continue publishing independent, multilingual news for all Europeans. Discover our membership offers and their exclusive benefits and become a member of our community now!