Italian prime minister Mario Draghi has resigned, bringing an end to a government seen to have had a once-in-a-generation opportunity to unlock the nation’s economic potential and set it on a higher growth trajectory.
In a statement, President Sergio Mattarella’s office on Thursday said that Draghi would remain in charge of current affairs. Mattarella is now expected to dissolve parliament and announce snap elections.
Draghi’s national unity coalition, established early last year in the depths of the Covid-19 crisis, unravelled on Wednesday after a rancorous parliamentary debate. His exit comes as the eurozone’s third-largest economy faces mounting challenges including slowing growth, inflation and higher borrowing costs.