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Italy heads for elections

Prime Minister consults with President Mattarella before announcing the election date; polls predict divided parliament needing pacts to govern

Italy will enter 2018 with a view to consolidating economic recovery and the general election, which must be held in early March. Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, met yesterday with President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella, a necessary step before the dissolving both chambers and then calling the elections, expected for March 4.

Before his meeting with Mattarella, Gentiloni gave his traditional end-of-year press conference to defend the work of his government. Without hesitation, he affirmed that he was happy that the goal he had set at the beginning of the legislature had been reached, that of “pulling the country out of the worst crisis since the Second World War.” He highlighted growth, “good progress” in the economy, curbing bank risk and rebuilding the confidence of the EU in Italy, but stressed that “we need to repair social divisions” because Italy “is still in the early days of the journey” of recovery. The new government must continue with an “agenda of ambition and reform.”

Most major parties are ignoring Italy’s chronic debt and are promising a higher deficit and lower taxes. Immigration is also high on the list of priorities with many parties calling to end the “invasion” of foreigners.

The polls at present are predicting a divided parliament and difficulties in creating coalition to form a stable government. None of the three major parties looks to be able to gain the 40% vote it would need to govern alone. One of Italy’s most popular politicians, Luigi di Maio, could become the youngest prime minister in history at 31, but would need to put behind him Bepe Grillo’s erratic behaviour in regards to alliances.

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