Draghi, Mario
Draghi’s Fall Reverberates Beyond Italy
ROME — Just over a month ago, Prime Minister Mario Draghi of Italy boarded an overnight train with the leaders of France and Germany bound for Kyiv. During the 10-hour trip, they joked about how the French president had the nicest accommodations. But, more important, they asserted their resolute support for Ukraine in the face […]
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Italy’s President Accepts Draghi Resignation, Calling for New Elections
ROME — Italy’s president on Thursday accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Mario Draghi, dissolved Parliament and called for new elections, bringing to a close an exceptional period of Italian stability and influence, and opening what promised to be a chaotic political season as Europe struggles to maintain resolve in the face of Russian aggression. […]
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Italy’s Unity Government Teeters, as Mario Draghi Offers to Resign
ROME — Italy’s golden period of stability suddenly seemed on the familiar precipice of chaos on Thursday after Prime Minister Mario Draghi tendered his resignation in response to a revolt by anti-establishment populists within his broad national unity government. But in a sign of how traumatic Mr. Draghi’s departure would be for Italy, the country’s […]
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On Russia, Europe Weighs Competing Goals: Peace and Punishment
BRUSSELS — Losing ground to Russia’s brutal advance in the east, Ukraine on Monday demanded an arsenal of sophisticated Western weapons many times greater than what has been promised, or even discussed, underscoring the rising pressure on Western leaders to reconsider their approach to the war. The tactics that served the Ukrainians well early in […]
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Covid’s New Divide: Risk Takers vs. the Risk Averse
ROME — The entire family is vaccinated, even the relatives, and all abide by masking requirements and respect Italy’s tough coronavirus restrictions. They are also all over the place in how they are living their lives. Mariagiovanna Togna is willing to accompany her children to outdoor play dates after school. But her husband, more anxious […]
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Italian Lawmakers Say They Have Agreed to Re-Elect Sergio Mattarella as President
For days, the competing political parties engaged in all sorts of tactics to pursue their narrow interests, gain the upper hand or defend against partisan candidates. They cast blank ballots and floated symbolic candidates used to measure the compactness of their voting blocs. They timed their own voters to make sure they were not writing […]
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Silvio Berlusconi Angles for Italy’s Presidency, Bunga Bunga and All
ROME — Early this month, Silvio Berlusconi sat at a dining room table in his mansion with his girlfriend, more than a half-century younger, and an old political ally. As they feasted on a pumpkin souffle and truffle tagliatelle, the 85-year-old Italian former prime minister and billionaire made hours of phone calls, working his way […]
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Italy Ponders a New Role for Draghi. Let the Politicking Begin.
The secrecy, and self-interested nature, of the vote makes it ripe for influence peddling. In recent days, opening gambits took the form of government-collapsing ultimatums, with Mr. Berlusconi saying that he would pull his party out of government if Mr. Draghi became president. Secret negotiations between the nationalist League, led by Matteo Salvini, and the […]
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