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Roundup: Italian parties fail again to agree on presidential candidate, crucial vote expected Saturday

Xinhua, January 31, 2015 Adjust font size:

Italian parliament in joint session of both houses held two inconclusive rounds of voting to elect the new head of State on Friday, as parties failed to reach the necessary consensus on a single candidate.

Over 500 blank ballots were cast in both votes on Friday morning and afternoon, and a similar result had come out of the first round held on Thursday.

Constitutional court judge Sergio Mattarella was the sole candidate advanced by Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and his center-left Democratic Party (PD), and he gained support from other minor leftist and centrist parties.

The candidacy of the 73-year-old judge, who entered politics as a Christian Democrat in the 1980s and served as minister in several cabinets, was however not accepted by Silvio Berlusconi and his center-right opposition Forza Italia (FI) party.

Mattarella also faced resistance from the smaller New Center-Right (NCD) of Interior minister Angelino Alfano, which is part of the government's coalition.

Both center-right forces were angered by PM Renzi's decision to promote him as a single candidate without any prior consultation with them.

A fourth round of balloting is due to take place on Saturday, and it might be the crucial one.

A broad two-third majority was in fact required to elect Italy's president in the first three votes, which meant 673 votes out of an assembly of 1,009 lawmakers and regional representatives.

From the fourth on, a simple majority of 505 votes will suffice.

PM Renzi's party along with center-leftist minor allies, and possibly some lawmakers from anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S), would have the 'strength' required to secure the election of judge Mattarella without further support.

However, this solution would imply some risks.

A political pact on major reforms was in fact struck by Renzi and Berlusconi in early 2014.

A breach between the prime minister and the two main center-right parties on the presidential election might threaten both the on-going reform path and the endurance of the coalition cabinet.

An electoral reform bill and a broad constitutional reform are being discussed in parliament.

The process to elect the new Italian head of State had begun in the Lower House on Thursday, two weeks after the early resignation of 89-year-old Giorgio Napolitano. Endit