Italian Prime Minister to resign ahead of judicial reform vote

Giuseppe Conte, the current Prime Minister of Italy announced on Tuesday that he will be resigning from his position. According to various media reports, the action was taken in an attempt to build a new government in the state, reported AFP. 

The office of the Prime Minister said, “He will inform the ministers of his desire to go to the Quirinale (President Sergio Mattarrlla) and resign”. Reports suggest that the PM has called a cabinet meeting at 9 am. 

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According to multiple media reports, the announcement was made in an attempt to construct a new government for the country as it suffers from the COVID-19 pandemic with a strained economy and a death toll of over 85,000. 

The government currently in power, which was formed out of a coalition, has been on the verge of an internal collapse after the ‘Italia Viva’ party, lead by Matteo Renzi, pulled out from the political structure of the country on January 13, reported AFP. 

Even after surviving a parliamentary vote of confidence last week, Conte could not secure a majority in the upper house of the government which resulted in a weak government.  

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His resignation comes ahead of a key vote on judicial reforms later this week, which commentators suggest the government was on course to lose.

Shortly before the announcement, the largest party in parliament, the populist Five Star Movement (M5S), said it would stand by Conte, reported AFP. 

Party leaders in the parliamentary houses of Italy, Ettore Licheri and Davide Crippa said in a statement, “We remain on Conte’s side.”