Silvio Berlusconi hospitalised, withdraws from Italian presidential race

Silvio Berlusconi, former Prime Minister of Italy,
discarded plans to run in Italy’s presidential race on Saturday. The former
premier of the country has reportedly been admitted to Milan’s San Raffaele
hospital since Thursday. The 85-year-old decided against running for the
presidential election after being admitted to the hospital.

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According to Reuters, Berlusconi’s hospitalisation
was related to routine medical checks.

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After he withdrew from the upcoming presidential
elections Berlusconi’s office issued a press statement on behalf of him. “I
have decided to follow another path on the way to national responsibility and
request that everyone abstain from putting forward my name to be president of
the republic,” the statement said.

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On Saturday, in a press statement, Berlusconi said
that he had dropped the idea of running for president elections ahead of a
parliamentary vote beginning on Monday.

Italy’s rightist coalition had asked him to run, but
his bid was unlikely to be successful due to difficulties in mustering the
broad support traditionally needed among more than 1,000 lawmakers and regional
delegates.

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The four-time prime minister had major heart surgery
in 2016 and has survived prostate cancer. He has been repeatedly admitted to
the hospital over the past year after contracting COVID-19 in 2020.

PM Mario Draghi favourite

The incumbent Prime Minister, Mario Draghi, is being
considered as a major candidate for the presidency. Draghi, on his part,
however, has for months kept mum on the question of whether he would run for
the presidency.

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Berlusconi and other party leaders have called for
Draghi to remain in the post of prime minister, arguing that the current
government should complete its mandate and enact structural reforms in the wake
of the coronavirus pandemic.

Draghi formed a coalition government from across
Italy’s political spectrum. FdI is one of the few groups that did not support
Draghi and is currently the largest party in opposition.

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Italy’s next general election is scheduled for 2023.