After a tumultuous week of secret votes and intense negotiations between political parties, Italy has reconfirmed Sergio Mattarella as head of state for a second seven-year term. The decision implies that Mario Draghi, the Italian prime minister for nearly a year who was seen as a contender to replace Mattarella, will continue in his current role until the natural end of his administration in 2023.
Parties didn’t initially agree on the re-election of Mattarella, whose role is broadly ceremonial but includes important powers such as the ability to choose the prime minister. It was, in fact, only after eight ballots that consensus was reached on his name, more out of the political stalemate that emerged and the related lack of feasible alternatives than out of a clear-cut political strategy by the leading parties.
Notwithstanding the disenchanting process that Italians had to witness, Mattarella’s re-election is one of the best possible outcomes from this presidential election, especially when looking at what is expected to come next beyond Italian borders. Mattarella’s renewed presidency is in fact great news not only for Italy, but also for the EU and the US. Here are three reasons why.
