by In Trieste
Sergio Mattarella, Italy’s current president, was re-elected on Saturday evening after lawmakers begged him to stay, while parties failed to find another mutually agreeable candidate to serve as head of state.
Mattarella was elected at the eighth ballot, passing the quorum of 505 votes, days before his seven-year term of office was due to end on 3 February.
The 80-year-old, who had repeatedly made it clear that he wanted to retire, agreed to serve again after Italian premier Mario Draghi and party leaders pleaded with him on Saturday to stay on “for the good and stability of the country,” sources told news agency ANSA.
“I had other plans but I am here if needed,” Mattarella reportedly said, adding: “I will do my best.”
His re-election follows a week of disagreements and deadlock between Italy’s center-right and center-left, neither of which had enough votes in parliament to push through their own candidates, resulting in a succession of vetoes, abstentions and fruitless votes.
