/ Europe
Issued on: 14/07/2022 – 03:41
Five-Star leader Giuseppe Conte, pictured in 2021, announced late Wednesday that the party would not support the confidence motion, saying the government should be doing more to tackle growing social problems in the euro zone’s third largest economy. © Remo Casilli, Reuters
Italy’s 5-Star Movement will not take part in a parliamentary confidence vote on Thursday, party leader Giuseppe Conte said, in a move that looked likely to trigger the collapse of Prime Minister Mario Draghi’s government.
Other coalition parties have warned that they will quit the government if 5-Star boycotts the vote in the Senate, while Draghi himself said this week that he would not head an administration without Conte’s party on board.
The prime minister’s office made no immediate comment on Wednesday.
The 5-Star decision plunges Italy into political uncertainty, risks undermining efforts to secure billions of euros in European Union funds, and could lead to early national elections in the autumn.
