Gavin Jones. Angelo Amante. Giuseppe Fonte.

ROME (Reuters – Mario Draghi was not promoted last weekend for the first time ever in his gilded professional career.

It was his favorite to be elected president of Italy by the bookmakers. The prestigious office, which has a seven-year term and significant political influence, was something he himself wanted.

Over a week-long period of multiple ballots, however, the premier at 74 years old never received more than five votes among the 1,009 regional delegates and parliamentarians who participated in the election.

Claudio Borghi (a deputy of the rightist League party) was part in fraught negotiations for a new head-of-state. He tried to convince undecided legislators to support a candidate representing his conservative group.

Borghi said that while some people said no and others said they might think about it but they all agreed they wouldn’t vote for Draghi.

The former European Central Bank chief rode to Italy’s rescue last year, and came out of retirement as prime minister to face another of Rome’s regular government collapses.

Interviews conducted with more than 12 Italian lawmakers reveal Draghi’s attempt to win the presidency. However, many observers viewed Draghi as an almost certain winner.

Draghi’s job change would have triggered Draghi’s government to fall, possibly triggering election a year earlier than planned. This was something most legislators, who were afraid of losing their pension rights and seats, wanted to avoid.

But this wasn’t the problem. This vote was marred by tactical mistakes made by Draghi. It also showed the unpopularity of his position among politicians. Many feel that he has removed them from the decision-making process, and has taken over parliament.

Draghi’s sometimes high-handed manner has also won him enemies in the cabinet, well-placed government sources say, meaning only a few members of his coalition team tried to fight his corner as the vote progressed https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/italian-parties-disarray-presidential-vote-limps-2022-01-29.

Reuters talks with more than a dozen politicians across all parties suggest that Draghi has been respected but is not loved.

Draghi did not win the election.

“LEAP INTO THE DARK”

Riccardo Magi, an unaffiliated deputy said that parliamentarians are afraid of snap elections. Draghi’s switch in roles would have been “a leap into the unknown” that they weren’t prepared for.

Fausto Raciti is a deputy of the center-left Democratic Party. His party fears an election will yield victory to Giorgia’s right-leaning Brothers of Italy, who are currently riding high in polls.

“There was mathematical certainty that Meloni would be elected as premier and early elections could occur. Raciti explained that no one in the PD wanted to take such a risk.

In eight rounds of vote that ultimately crowned Sergio Mattarella as President for the second term of his term, Draghi got between two to five votes. It is clear that he failed to form strong bonds within the two chambers of parliament.

Borghi and Lorenzo Fioramonti, an ex-education minister, described Draghi’s bid as “naive”, claiming that he underestimated the task.

“To be the ECB Chief, you must have a good relationship with 5-10 people. It takes 1,000 legislators to make you the president of the republic. Borghi stated that it is a skill different.

Draghi is a rare international leader with uncommon clout. However, he has earned a reputation for being distant from government officials. Although he consults extensively, Draghi takes the decisions on his own, which leaves some high-ranking officials feeling left out of the decision making process.

It was a disincentive to allow such an influential figure to take control of the presidential palace over the next seven-years in a country with consensus politics.

Ettore Rosato of the Italia Viva centrist party stated, “In Italian History, the country’s strongest politician never was elected president because it has its own logic.”

MISSION COMPLETED

Draghi stated his presidential ambitions to reporters on Dec. 22, when he said that the government had almost completed its agenda. He stated, “The work is possible regardless of who’s there.”

He was probably given the primary task of managing Italy’s coronavirus response when he became premiership. His suggestion to finish his work, at the same time as COVID-19 was growing fast, was considered inappropriate.

Mario Monti was once Prime Minister and is well-known for using diplomatic language.

Monti said that it was not the normal attitude for a prime minister who is far away from his end and has difficult tasks ahead of him on Sunday.

Monti’s comments were not addressed by Draghi’s bureau.

Draghi’s action had offended lawmakers as it was against etiquette, according to which one is not supposed to ask for the presidency and accept it only as an honour.

Draghi began reportedly talking with the party chiefs almost at the same time as elections started to increase disapproval.

“The December news conference was awful enough. But then, receiving party leaders when we were voting to elect the president of the republic seemed like a break in the rules,” Sandro Ruotolo (senator with small leftist group) said.

Two sources confirmed the talks to Reuters and they were extensively reported in Italy’s major newspapers. Draghi’s Office declined to comment.

The event saw Draghi supported by the only major coalition party leader, the PD’s Enrico Letta. Meanwhile, three main government parties – the League of Italy, Forza Italia, and 5-Star Movement – publicly disavowed their candidacy.

Draghi failed to make it because leaders realized they could not control their lawmakers. They didn’t want a chance.” said Fioramonti (former minister), now deputy for an ecologists group.

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