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ITalia’s new prime minister, Mario Draghi, won a vote of confidence in the Senate on his program against the Corona crisis with a large majority. For the Draghi government and its plans, 262 senators voted Wednesday night, with only 40 votes against and two abstentions.
The vote made clear once again the broad support that the new government enjoys in parliament. The vote of confidence in the Chamber of Deputies is still pending on Thursday. The vote of confidence in both houses of parliament was seen as a mere formality, as Draghi has the support of all the major parties.
Draghi wants to “fight the crisis with all means”
The former head of the European Central Bank (ECB) has made containing the corona pandemic and its economic consequences his top priority. On Wednesday he had announced in his first parliamentary speech since taking office that he would “fight the crisis with all possible means.” He also called the crown crisis an opportunity to rebuild Italy into a more integrated EU.
Draghi, nicknamed “Super Mario” in Italy, intervened after the previous government dissolved and formed a unity government that united parties from left to right.
To accelerate the corona vaccination campaign, Draghi announced the use of volunteers, the army and the civil protection agency. The campaign got off to a good start in late December, but was then delayed. Of the approximately 60 million inhabitants, only 1.3 million have received the two doses of vaccine needed so far. More than 94,000 Italians have already died from a corona infection.
As a result of the Crown crisis, Italy has fallen into the worst recession since World War II. Last year, the economy contracted nearly nine percent and nearly 450,000 people lost their jobs. “As governments in the immediate post-war era, we have a responsibility to begin a new reconstruction,” Draghi said.
By the end of April, the new Italian government is due to present plans to use 200 billion euros in EU aid funds for reconstruction after the crown crisis. The use of funds is a sensitive issue, the dispute over it broke the previous government.
In exchange for the EU aid money, the Italian government will have to push through unpopular reforms. Draghi announced reforms of the sprawling bureaucracy, an opaque tax law and a sluggish judiciary. The 73-year-old has staffed his cabinet with non-party politicians and experts. It put key areas such as education, justice and infrastructure in the hands of experts.
