Italian President Giorgio Napolitano resigns

YEREVAN, JANUARY 14, ARMENPRESS. Giorgio Napolitano, Italy’s longest-serving president, resigned today. He had cited his advanced age among reasons that convinced him to leave before the end of its second seven-year presidential term. Napolitano, who reluctantly accepted a second term in 2013 after parliament failed to elect his successor for days, had signaled from the start he wouldn’t serve another full mandate.

As reports “Armenpress” citing Bloomberg, Parliament, together with 58 regional delegates that have yet to be appointed, has to meet within 15 days to elect his successor. The procedure can take several days as just two rounds of voting are held each day. While some presidents, such as Francesco Cossiga in 1985, were chosen in one day, the election of Giovanni Leone in 1971 took 23 rounds of voting.

The Presidential election is held in Parliament in a roll-call vote of more than 1,000 lawmakers and regional officials. The ballot is secret. To win in the first three rounds the candidate must secure two thirds of as many as 1,009 potential votes. From the fourth round, a simple majority of 505 electors is required. Senate speaker Pietro Grasso acts as caretaker president until a new head of state is elected.

Renzi needs a head of state willing to support his reform agenda and potentially dissolve parliament at his request, if he finds himself in a position to push for early elections. He needs someone who can help broker political compromises so he can push through changes to the country’s electoral process and adopt measures to spur economic growth

Without taking into account 58 regional officials from various parties who have yet to be appointed by local councils,Renzi’s Democratic party has 415 electors, while former Premier Silvio Berlusconi’s Forza Italia party has 130 and Beppe Grillo’s Five Star Movement has 137. Majority that supports the government, which includes Renzi’s PD, New Center-Right and Civic Choice, would have enough votes to elect a president from the fourth round, assuming there are no defections. The PD failed to elect its candidate for president Romano Prodi in April 2013 after reportedly more than 100 defections among the center-left coalition. Renzi would also have enough votes to elect the president from the fourth round if he strikes a deal with either Berlusconi’s Forza Italia party or Grillo’s movement, which are both in the opposition.

The president, whose term lasts seven years, is the head of the armed forces and can reject laws that he considers unconstitutional. While he’s often seen as a ceremonial figure, he also has the power to dissolve parliament, designate prime minister candidates and call early elections. Napolitano becomes now a senator for life.

During his nine-year tenure, Napolitano has been regarded as the guarantor of stability amid unstable governments and Italy’s longest recession since World War II. In the midst of the European financial crisis in 2011, Napolitano fended off the risk of a bailout by appointing former European CommissionerMario Montito lead a government of non politicians to reassure markets after Berlusconi’s majority crumbled amid record high bond yields.