Italy PM proposes senior judge to be next president

PanARMENIAN.Net - Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi proposed a senior judge to be the country's next president on Thursday, Jan 29, a move that his party welcomed but which may strain an alliance on reforms with opposition rival Silvio Berlusconi, according to Reuters.

Though historically a largely ceremonial figure, the Italian head of state has important powers at times of political instability, a frequent occurrence in Italy, as he or she can dissolve parliament, call elections, and pick prime ministers.

Some 1,009 parliamentarians and regional officials started a first round of voting at 3 pm, at which a candidate would need a two-thirds majority to win.

That is unlikely to happen, but from the fourth round -- probably on Saturday -- only a simple majority is required.

Renzi put forward Sergio Mattarella, a constitutional court judge and a former defense minister, as the candidate for his Democratic Party (PD) at a meeting of his party's electors, who unanimously accepted the candidacy.

Mattarella, whose brother was murdered by the Sicilian Mafia in 1980, would be "capable of guaranteeing Italy seven years of distinguished leadership," Renzi said.

It is still unclear whether Berlusconi will back Mattarella, who is not thought to be among his favored candidates. In 1990, Mattarella resigned as education minister in protest over a government decree which favored Berlusconi's media empire.

Since Renzi said he was not willing to select a compromise candidate, the choice of Mattarella could drive a political wedge between the two leaders whose alliance over electoral and constitutional reform has created friction in Renzi's PD.