Italian PM Draghi to resign as key allies withdraw goverment support
The Italian government is set to collapse, after three key coalition partners decided to pull their support from Prime Minister Mario Draghi.
It would mean voters go to the polls again for a new general election - the second in four years - likely to take place in late September or early October.
Matteo Salvini's League, Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia, and Giuseppe Conte's Five Star Movement (M5S) all decided to abstain from a confidence vote in the Senate on Wednesday.
Draghi went on to win that confidence vote 95 to 38, however his allies' abstentions mean the end of the national unity pact sealed in February 2021, when Draghi took office.
He is now expected to tender his resignation to President Sergio Mattarella on Thursday.
Mattarella had already rejected the 74-year-old's resignation on 14 July, after M5S abstained during a vote on a stimulus package.
President Mattarella however had called on Draghi to reconvene parties in parliament - and try to gather the necessary support to stay on.
Draghi renewed his calls for unity in his Senate speech on Wednesday - but then The League and Forza Italia announced they would no longer stay in the coalition as long as the M5S would be part of it.
In marked contrast to many previous political crises in Rome, many Italians have pleaded with Draghi to stay.
An online petition called "Draghi, stay" -- launched by former Italian Premier Matteo Renzi -- collected more than 100,000 signatures by late Monday.
Hundreds of rank-and-file citizens and political leaders also turned out for pro-Draghi rallies in Rome, Milan and other cities.
Some 1,000 mayors from rival political parties have even signed an open letter to Draghi exhorting him to remain.
Various lobbies, including a doctors' group,
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