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Senior figures in 5-Star, led by former prime minister Giuseppe
Conte, were meeting on Wednesday to decide whether to remain in
the coalition, having issued a series of policy demands ahead of
a vote of confidence on Thursday.
Italy is due to hold a national election in the first half of
2023 and tensions are rising among members of the coalition that
Draghi has led for the past 18 months.
Speaking at a news conference in Rome, Matteo Salvini, head of
the right-wing League, said his party would not continue to back
Draghi if 5-Star withdrew from the coalition. Early elections
were the best solution, he said.
"If a coalition party doesn't back a government decree that's
it, enough is enough, it seems clear that we should go to
elections," he said.
The centre-left Democratic party (PD) is also unwilling to form
a new government without 5-Star, a party source told Reuters.
Looking to ease tensions, Draghi said on Tuesday that many of
the policy priorities of 5-Star overlapped with those of the
government, but warned against continuous demands from coalition
partners.
"A government does not work with ultimatums, it loses the point
of its existence," Draghi told a news conference, adding he will
not be willing to carry on as prime minister if 5-Star pulls
out.
The earliest Italy could vote would be in the autumn but it
would be unusual to hold an election then as it would overlap
with the drawing up and parliamentary approval of the budget law
for the next year.
(Reporting by Giuseppe Fonte and Angelo Amante, writing by Gavin
Jones and Keith Weir, editing by Giulia Segreti and Angus
MacSwan)
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