Italy’s President Set to Ask Paolo Gentiloni to Form New Government
Matteo Renzi resigned as prime minister last week after ‘no vote’ in referendum on constitutional reform
ROME—Italy’s President Sergio Mattarella has summoned outgoing Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni to the presidential palace later Sunday, suggesting that Mr. Gentiloni is in line to become Italy’s new prime minister.
Later Sunday morning, the president is expected to give Mr. Gentiloni the mandate to try to form a new caretaker government. If Mr. Gentiloni accepts, he will then start consultations with the other political parties to form his team of ministers.
The development could signal a rapid resolution to a government crisis sparked by the resignation this week of Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, who stepped down after a stinging defeat in last Sunday’s referendum on a constitutional reform he heavily backed.
In choosing Mr. Gentiloni, Mr. Mattarella is reaching for a seasoned politician who enjoys cross-party esteem in Italy, something that can help him navigate the political tensions that have exploded since Mr. Renzi’s resignation.
Italian parties are now pushing hard for elections to be brought forward from their current timetable of spring 2018.
However, the country needs a new electoral law before Mr. Mattaralla can dissolve parliament because of a court challenge to the current law. Moreover, there are two different electoral rules for each of Italy’s parliamentary houses, a situation that would likely produce a hung legislature.
Mr. Gentiloni enjoys wide support within the center-left Democratic Party, the largest party in parliament. He also has a good relationship with former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi as a result of Mr. Gentiloni’s stint as communications minister in the mid-2000s. Those relationships could help him with the complicated task of rewriting voting rules just as an election looms.
Mr. Gentiloni is also highly regarded on the international front. Having joined the Renzi government as foreign minister in October 2014 after Federica Mogherini stepped down to become Europe’s foreign policy chief, he has spearheaded Italy’s efforts to gather international support for a solution to the Libyan crisis.
After holding consultations with the other parties, Mr. Gentiloni will choose his ministers and then the new government will be sworn in. The premier and his new cabinet will then be required to win confidence votes in each of Italy’s two parliamentary chambers to take power. That will likely happen before this Thursday, allowing Mr. Gentiloni to represent Italy at a European Union summit that day.