The current Italian senator, former head and head of the political party ‘Italia Viva’ (IV), Matteo Renzi holds a press conference on January 13, 2021 at the Italian Chamber of Deputies in Rome.
ALBERTO PIZZOLI | AFP | Getty Images
LONDON – Former Prime Minister of Italy Mateo Renzi made his announcement on Wednesday to pull his ruling party out of the ruling coalition, bringing the country back into political chaos as it battles the resurgence of the coronovirus.
Speaking at a much awaited press conference, Renezi said that two Italia Viva Party ministers would resign. It is without a majority in Parliament and on the verge of collapse.
Support from Renezi’s party was crucial to the existence of the anti-establishment Five Star Movement and the center-left Democratic Party-led coalition.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said he hoped Renezi would not pull his ministers from the cabinet, warning the country that they would not understand why the government collapsed amid the ongoing health crisis.
The Five Star Movement and the Democratic Party also urged Renzi to maintain the unity of the ruling government at a time when the country was trying to vaccinate citizens and prevent the economy from getting worse.
The southern European nation is no stranger to political conflicts, tensions and scandals. Thin majorities have led to more than 60 governments in Rome since World War II.
However, the latest political controversy is coming at a particularly painful moment, with the number of coronavirus infections and deaths in Italy being the highest in Europe. Disagreements center on EU funds and how they will re-run the Italian economy after the epidemic.
According to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, Italy has recorded 2.3 million Kovid-19 cases and 79,819 deaths.
The country’s GDP is projected to fall by about 10% in 2020.
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