Mario Draghi, the Italian prime minister, on Wednesday won a critical confidence vote but was on the cusp of resigning regardless after three of his key allies boycotted the process.
Following hours of debate in the Senate, Draghi’s government looked set to fall when three of his coalition partners announced they would not vote, further rupturing the precarious coalition and making early elections all but certain.
The vote on Wednesday saw the Senate vote 95 to 38 in favour of Mr Draghi's government, but it was a hollow victory after Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia, the anti-immigrant League and populist Five Star Movement abstained.
The prime minister had earlier vowed to walk away unless he got the full backing of his government.
He was expected to hand in his resignation again later Wednesday night.
Part of the issue was the 5 Star Movement, which triggered the entire crisis by boycotting another no confidence vote last week. The centre-right coalition - Forza Italia and League - said on Wednesday they would not remain in government if the Movement stayed.
‘Creating a perfect storm’
The stand by “irresponsible” parties risked “creating a perfect storm,” EU Economy Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni said on Twitter, adding that Italy faced "difficult months ahead".
“The centre-right will go down in history as the ones who got rid of Mario Draghi,” Francesco Galietti, Policy Sonar analyst, told AFP.
The evening capped a week of political unrest that began last week.
Mr Draghi announced he was quitting after 5 Star boycotted last Thursday's confidence vote but president Sergio Mattarella refused to accept his resignation on the ground that Italy needed strong leadership amid a wave of problems including a cost of living crisis and the war in Ukraine.
Tens of thousands of citizens as well as 1,000 mayors and a doctors’ association also signed a petition asking Mr Draghi to stay.
In an uncompromising speech on Wednesday morning the usually soft-spoken Mr Draghi bellowed in parliament that he would continue to govern only if his coalition remained united.
‘Courage, altruism and credibility’
“The only way, if we want to stay together, is to rebuild this pact, with courage, altruism and credibility,” the former European Central Bank chief told his coalition partners.
“Are you ready to rebuild this pact? Are you ready?” said Mr Draghi. “You don’t have to give this answer to me. You have to give it to all Italians.”
“I believe that a premier who has never gone before voters must have the biggest support possible in Parliament,” he added. Mr Draghi was appointed by Mr Mattarella in February 2021.
“This is even more important in a context of an emergency, in which the government must take decisions that profoundly impact the lives of Italians.”
Following Mr Draghi’s speech senators took centre stage to discuss the requirements laid out by the prime minister: namely the need for unity as a condition to keep governing.