Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi won a pyrrhic victory in a confidence vote in the Senate today. In an arrogant speech, Draghi had demanded that all parties of the previous coalition vote in his support, otherwise he would leave. Through the alchemy of parliamentary rules, with some factions leaving the room and others staying but declaring a “non vote,” Draghi “won” a vote of confidence with only 95 votes, coming from the Democratic Party and the extreme left.
Draghi will now go to the Chamber of Deputies tomorrow, to complete the formal procedure. After the vote in the Chamber, a formality at this point, Draghi is expected to resign his mandate and place it back in the hands of State President Sergio Mattarella. President Mattarella will probably dissolve the Parliament and call for early elections.
