ROME - The Prime Miniser designate Mario Draghi’s formal consultations continue on Friday with meetings with Italia Viva, Fratelli d’Italia, the Democratic Party and Forza Italia as he battles to organise a majority coalition between the parties. He is due to meet with the two biggest parties, Lega and the 5 Star Movement (M5S), on Saturday.

  Both Giuseppe Conte, the outgoing Prime Minister, and Luigi di Maio have pledged the support of M5S for Draghi, with Beppe Grillo, the founder of M5S, due to come to Rome for the discussions with the Prime Minister designate on Saturday.

  Nicola Zingaretti, Secretary of the Democratic Party has said, in an interview with La Stampa, that the alliance with M5S and Free and Equal (LeU) is still very strong, adding that it was Renzi’s “true objective” to break it up. The PD have pledged unanimous support for Draghi, and have also backed the idea of Conte as Deputy Prime Minister. Zingaretti has said PD are fighting for as wide a majority as possible so as to marginalise the power that the votes of Renzi’s Italia Viva will hold.

  Lega has expressed support, though the leader Matteo Salvini has said that “Draghi must choose between the requests of Grillo and those of the Lega … Our proposals are contrary to those of the M5S. Fewer taxes or more taxes.” The vice secretary of the Lega, Giancarlo Giorgetti, has said that “the government would be crippled without us.”

  Berlusconi was due to arrive in Rome for Draghi’s consultations with Forza Italia on Wednesday afternoon, the first time he has made any kind of political appearance since the start of the pandemic, though has now said he will not be attending. Forza Italia’s leader has acted through his deputies in all the recent consultations, though perhaps wants to remind Draghi that it was him, during his tenure as Prime Minister, that put Draghi up for the job of President of the European Central Bank. 

  Forza Italia have voiced their support for Draghi, though some political commentators have suggested this will perhaps be on the condition of Berlusconi’s criminal charges being dropped. Without the support of Lega and Fratelli d’Italia, who are still in favour of an election, the votes of Forza Italia will be crucial for a majority in the Senate.

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