ROME: Italy will hold a snap national election on Sept. 25 after Prime Minister Mario Draghi resigned following the collapse of his national unity government, sending tremors through financial markets.
It will be the first autumn national election for more than a century in Italy, where the second half of the year is normally taken up with getting the budget law through parliament.
It is likely to be a fractious campaign fought in the fierce summer heat in a drought-hit country.
A bloc of conservative parties, led by the far-right Brothers of Italy, looks likely to win a clear majority at the ballot, a study of opinion polls showed this week.
Draghi, an unelected former central banker who has led a broad coalition for almost 18 months, handed in his resignation earlier on Thursday and was asked by President Sergio Mattarella to stay on in a caretaker capacity.
"We must deal with the emergencies related to the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, inflation and the cost of energy," Draghi told cabinet colleagues.
He said that the government must also implement the National Recovery and Resilience Plan that sees Italy tapping billions of euros of post-pandemic European Union funds in return for reforms.
Although the vote is set for the end of September, it might take weeks of haggling before a new administration is sworn in.
Draghi's coalition crumbled on Wednesday when three of his main partners snubbed a confidence vote he had called to try to end divisions and renew their troubled alliance.
He had sought to reassert his authority as parties began to pull in different directions before the planned end of the legislature in the first half of next year.
TURMOIL RETURNS
The political crisis has up-ended months of stability in Italy, during which Draghi had helped shape Europe's tough response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and had boosted the country's standing in financial markets.
Italian bond and stocks sold off sharply on concerns that the political crisis would delay reforms and that the new government might be a tougher partner for the European Union.
Italy's 10-year bond yields rose to a one-month peak at 3.75% before pulling back to around 3.60% in late trade.
Draghi, Italy's sixth prime minister in a decade, had drawn warm applause from lawmakers when he made a brief appearance in the lower house of parliament on Thursday, signalling his intention to step down.
"Even central bankers have their hearts touched sometimes," he quipped as he received the ovation.
The former European Central Bank (ECB) president had helped to give Italy a stronger presence on the international stage.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy thanked him for his "unwavering support".
"I'm convinced that the active support of Italian people for Ukraine will continue," he said on Twitter.
Although unelected, Draghi was popular with many Italians fed up with years of revolving door governments.
"The fact that there is yet another government crisis only certifies the umpteenth inability of our politicians to govern for the people, and instead govern only for themselves," said Marco Anastasi, 29, a gym instructor from Milan.
However, the Brothers of Italy, led by Giorgia Meloni, welcomed the news of elections, which were not scheduled until the first half of next year.
She was the only major leader not to join Draghi's government and her popularity has soared in opposition. Her group polled just 4% in the 2018 election, but is now seen winning more than 22%, making it Italy's largest party.
If the conservative bloc wins the September ballot, she will decide who should be prime minister and might promote herself to the top job.
Reuters
Fri Jul 22 2022
Italy's PM Mario Draghi looks on during his address to the lower house of parliament, in Rome, Italy July 21, 2022. - REUTERS
Lubnan kemuka aduan terhadap Israel di PBB susulan pencerobohan darat
Aduan terbabit mengecam pencerobohan terhadap kedaulatan Lubnan dan kemasukan pasukan Israel ke dalam sempadan Lubnan sejak malam 1 Okt.
KRI: Bagaimana pandemik COVID-19 mengubah perbelanjaan dompet rakyat Malaysia?
Analisis ini meneroka perubahan ketara dalam pola perbelanjaan isi rumah selepas pandemik. Walaupun pertumbuhan pendapatan adalah perlahan, isi rumah telah menyaksikan peningkatan yang ketara dalam perbelanjaan berbanding tahun-tahun sebelumnya. Bersama Felo Kehormat, Institut Masa Depan MalaysiaDatuk Dr Madeline Berma membincangkan lebih mendalam tentang landskap kewangan yang semakin berubah dan ketidaksamaan yang wujud di antara pelbagai kumpulan pendapatan.
Banjir Kedah: Tujuh PPS diaktifkan di Baling, tempatkan 199 mangsa
Seramai 199 mangsa daripada 66 keluarga dipindahkan ke pusat pemindahan sementara di Baling sejak malam tadi.
Asas ekonomi kukuh, petunjuk pertumbuhan mampan
Pakar Ekonomi, MIDF Research, Abdul Mui’zz Morhalim mengupas berkenaan situasi ekonomi negara ketika ini, termasuk pengukuhan ringgit serta faktor yang bakal mempengaruhi pertumbuhan pada masa akan datang.
Data & Statistik KRI: Perubahan perbelanjaan isi rumah di Malaysia (2019 - 2022)
Pola perbelanjaan isi rumah berubah ketara selepas pandemik, berdasarkan kajian Khazanah Research Institute. Dapatan ini memberikan gambaran mengenai ketidaksamaan kewangan antara kumpulan pendapatan.
AWANI Ringkas: Fatwa GISBH di Selangor
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
Ringgit dbuka tinggi berbanding dolar AS
Pada 8 pagi, unit tempatan berada pada 4.2160/2240 berbanding dolar AS daripada paras penutup 4.2185/2250 pada Khamis.
Konflik Asia Barat: Harga minyak lonjak lebih 5 peratus dalam tempoh sehari
Niaga hadapan minyak mentah Brent menokok 5.03 peratus pada AS$77.62 setong.
[TERKINI] Harga minyak melonjak lebih 5 peratus akibat konflik di Asia Barat
Harga minyak mentah global melonjak selepas konflik di Asia Barat semakin meruncing. Pada Khamis, minyak mentah Brent naik 5.03%, menokok kepada $77.62 setong, manakala U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) turut meningkat 5.15% kepada $73.71 setong. Kenaikan ini membawa jumlah peningkatan harga minyak minggu ini melebihi 8%, yang tertinggi sejak Januari lalu.
[TERKINI] Perkembangan terkini evakuasi rakyat Malaysia dari Lubnan
Kementerian Luar Negeri mengesahkan bahawa seramai empat (4) orang rakyat Malaysia telah
selamat tiba di Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Kuala Lumpur (KLIA) dari Lubnan pada pagi ini,
4 Oktober 2024. Seorang lagi rakyat Malaysia dijadualkan tiba pada petang hari yang sama.
selamat tiba di Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Kuala Lumpur (KLIA) dari Lubnan pada pagi ini,
4 Oktober 2024. Seorang lagi rakyat Malaysia dijadualkan tiba pada petang hari yang sama.
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah antara yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
PM Itali Mario Draghi menang undi percaya di Senat
Bagaimanapun ia dilihat sebagai kemenangan tidak bermakna gara-gara tindakan tiga parti dalam kerajaan perpaduan yang memboikot pengundian.
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah antara yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Perdana Menteri Itali Mario Draghi letak jawatan
Peletakan jawatan Draghi bagaimanapun tidak diterima Presiden Itali.
7 terkorban, 13 lagi masih hilang dalam runtuhan salji di Itali
Angka kematian akibat runtuhan salji di utara Itali telah meningkat kepada tujuh orang setakat ini, lapor Xinhua.
Itali isytihar darurat di wilayah utara dilanda kemarau
Itali pada Isnin mengisytiharkan darurat di lima wilayah utara yang paling terjejas akibat dilanda kemarau.
Itali umum langkah kurangkan lonjakan harga bahan api
Itali akan menurunkan harga bahan api sebanyak 25 sen di stesen minyak sehingga akhir April.
COVID-19: Itali larang individu belum vaksin guna perkhidmatan sosial
Itali mencatatkan kes positif harian melebihi 100,000 kes dengan 227 kematian dalam masa 24 jam lepas.
Perubahan iklim: Itali janji AS$1.4 bilion bantu negara miskin
Ia sumbangan tahunan Itali sebanyak AS$100 bilion yang dijanjikan negara kaya secara kolektif, tetapi belum disampaikan.
Raja Salman akan ketuai Perwakilan Arab Saudi ke Sidang Kemuncak Pemimpin G20
Penjaga Dua Masjid Suci Raja Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud akan mengetuai perwakilan Arab Saudi dan mengambil bahagian secara maya dalam perhimpunan dua hari Sidang Kemuncak Pemimpin G20 di Rom.