Italy: Five Stars wants to stay away from vote of confidence

A government crisis is looming in Italy: The Five Star Movement has announced that it will not support the multi-party government in a vote of confidence in the Senate. The reason is a dispute over aid funds.

In Italy, the government of Prime Minister Mario Draghi threatens to collapse in a vote of confidence. The co-governing Five Star Movement announced that it would stay away from the Senate vote.

Party leader Giuseppe Conte told reporters that the government must do more to combat growing social problems. “We will not take part in the vote tomorrow,” said Conte. “We are absolutely ready for dialogue to make our constructive contribution to the government and to Draghi. But we are not ready to give a blank check.”

The vote is linked to a controversial draft law on aid for citizens in economic need. Conte presented a number of political demands last week and made them a condition of remaining in the coalition.

The leadership of his party met yesterday for consultations. A statement from Draghi was initially not available. However, he had previously called on the parties to stop issuing ultimatums and to support his government. Since February 2021, Draghi has led the governing coalition, which ranges from the left to the far right, as an independent.

Five Star Movement calls for more generous relief

For weeks, the leadership of the Five Star Movement has been criticizing the government’s priorities in the planned distribution of the aid funds. The party is calling for more generous financial relief for families and businesses that are particularly hard hit by high energy costs. The Five Star Movement is also advocating a further payment of a guaranteed monthly salary to those who cannot find work.

On Monday, the party abstained from a vote on the bill in the Chamber of Deputies, but supported the government in the previous vote of confidence. In the Senate, however, the draft and the vote of confidence cannot be voted on separately.

Other parties could withdraw support from Draghi

The leader of the right-wing Lega party, Matteo Salvini, had announced that he would no longer support Draghi if the Five Star Movement left the coalition. An early election is the best solution. According to party circles, the Democratic Party is also not ready to form a new government without the Five Star Movement. Draghi himself had announced his resignation if the Five Star Movement terminated the coalition.

A new parliament will be elected in Italy in the first half of next year. An election could be brought forward to autumn. This would be unusual, however, because this is the time when the budget, which has to be approved by the end of the year, is traditionally prepared.