Italy’s Draghi rules out 2nd mandate as premier

By Giada Zampano

ROME - Outgoing Italian Premier Mario Draghi on Friday ruled out a second mandate as prime minister, as the country will head to national elections on Sept. 25.

Some centrist parties, forming the so-called “third pole,” had indicated Draghi could continue to lead the government if no clear winner emerged from the election.

According to the latest available polls, the center-right coalition led by the far-right Brothers of Italy party is firmly in the lead.

On Friday, Draghi also confirmed that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had told him earlier this week that no Italian political force was featured in a US intelligence report on Russia funding foreign parties and leaders for political interference.

"I had a telephone call with Blinken and it was the most natural thing to ask what he knew," Draghi told a press conference on Friday, following a Cabinet meeting that approved a new aid package for families and businesses.

"He confirmed to me that there were no Italian political parties on the list of those to have benefited from Russian funds,” Draghi added, noting that “Italian democracy is strong.”

In one of its last moves, the Draghi government on Friday approved an aid package worth about €14 billion ($14 billion) to shield firms and families from surging energy costs and record-high inflation.