From the ballot box fourth vote for the election of the new Head of State a striking result arrives: the votes for the outgoing President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, continue to multiply. Yesterday there were 125, today they reached 166, a very high number if one takes into account the fact that 441 electors of the centre-right (out of 453) abstained following the indications of their party leaders who preferred to "play it safe" and avoid a dangerous count. Instead they have been 261 blank ballots, much less than what should have been (406) if all the big voters of Pd, M5S and Leu had accepted the request of the number one of the three parties.
What's behind the votes for Mattarella
Behind the votes for Mattarella, which in all probability came from many members of the M5S and some representatives of the Democratic Party, there could therefore be several explanations: in addition to a certificate of esteem for the outgoing President and the desire not to change the current institutional and political structure, thus re-electing Mattarella, these preferences could reveal a certain dissatisfaction with the stalemate in which the election falls. A direct message to party leaders to decide to unblock the situation.
In fact, it should be remembered that the outgoing Head of State has repeatedly and in various locations revealed his unwillingness to carry out a second mandate, even going so far as to publish photos of his move from the Quirinale to silence rumors and pressure.
Negotiations stalled: Do you drag the way out?
After days of clashes and negotiations, the main party leaders have still not managed to converge on a single candidate, continuing to take refuge in abstention or blank ballots. During the night it seemed that an agreement was possible on the name of Pier Ferdinando Casini, whose chances were however significantly reduced this morning.
In addition to Casini's name, there are three other possible candidates on the table, each of whom gains or loses positions as the hours go by: Mario Draghi, Sabino Cassese and Elisabetta Belloni. All three (four with Casini) gather a broad consensus, however all have been vetoed heavily by the individual parties, in a game of chess in which, for the moment, all the political forces seem destined to defeat.
It took off today the name of Elisabetta Belloni, current number one in Italian intelligence. Giorgia Meloni does not dislike the idea and, unofficially, her name finds much support both in the center-right and in the center-left. Reservations from both sides, however, come against the idea that the head of the Dis is the new President of the Republic.
Meanwhile, it seems to be catching up the Draghi hypothesis. After days in which Salvini and Conte continued to repeat that the current Premier "is fine where he is", Draghi could in fact become the last chance to get out of an impasse that risks becoming increasingly embarrassing. A candidate capable of saving the government majority and also appreciated by many exponents of those same parties who vetoed the current Premier.
The next moves
It will be an afternoon of continuous meetings, talks and negotiations. The aim is to be able to close in time to elect the new President of the Republic within the fifth vote which will begin tomorrow, Thursday 28 January, at 11. An attempt considered by many to be desperate given the distance that separates the positions of the various parties, but which some still hope to be able to hit with a "coup de main" that manages to get everyone to agree.
