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Salvini backs Berlusconi as President of the Italian Republic

Italy’s center-right bloc will support former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s bid to become the next president of the Republic, Northern League leader Matteo Salvini said on Thursday.

The Italian parliament will convene on January 24 to begin voting on a new head of state to replace outgoing Sergio Matarella. Center-right leaders are expected to discuss the situation at a meeting scheduled for Friday.

“The center-right is firm and unanimous in its support for Berlusconi, we will not accept an ideological veto from the left,” Salvini said in a statement, referring to the center-left parties that denounced Berlusconi’s presidential ambitions.

Presidential elections dominate the political debate in Italy and are likely to have a significant impact on the country’s future.

Prime Minister Mario Draghi is among the top candidates for the post, but his promotion to the Quirinal Palace of the head of state would leave the parties with the choice of either appointing a new prime minister or calling for elections a year ahead of schedule.

In a press conference Wednesday, Salvini made it clear that his party would be ready to remain in government even if Draghi left, but reiterated that he would like the former head of the European Central Bank to remain prime minister.

Mr Berlusconi’s Forza Italia party has said it will leave the unity government if Draghi moves to the presidential palace.

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Source From: Capital

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