Conte hands in his resignation to Mattarella, consultations begin tomorrow

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has formally submitted his resignation to President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella at the Quirinal Palace. After about half an hour, the outgoing premier left the Quirinale by car, heading first to Palazzo Giustiniani for a brief meeting with Senate President Elisabetta Casellati, and then to the Chamber of Deputies to meet with President Roberto Fico.

The Secretary-General of the Quirinal Palace, Ugo Zampetti, announced that consultations for the formation of a new government will begin tomorrow afternoon, Wednesday, January 27, 2021. Mattarella has reserved the right to decide on the next steps and has asked the outgoing government to remain in office to handle current affairs. The consultations will be conducted in compliance with anti-Covid regulations and will be broadcast live on the YouTube channel of the Presidency of the Republic and on the Quirinale website.

Conte's resignation represents the final act of a government crisis that originated from political tensions that emerged in the preceding weeks. The Conte II government, supported by a center-left coalition, found itself facing increasing difficulties in maintaining a stable majority in Parliament, prompting the Prime Minister to tender his resignation.

The procedure that follows is standard: after a premier's resignation, the President of the Republic initiates the so-called 'consultations,' namely a series of meetings with the presidents of the Chambers, parliamentary groups, and party leaders. The goal is to assess the possibility of forming a new majority capable of supporting a government. Mattarella has already made clear that he will evaluate proposals based on two fundamental parameters: a stable majority and a cohesive government. The current situation suggests the possibility of a 'center leg' supporting the executive, a hypothesis repeatedly evoked in recent days.