SERGIO MATTARELLA

Abdrazakov will sing the title role, leading a mostly Russian cast as he gives his sixth La Scala season premiere performance. This is a great masterpiece in the history of art,'' La Scala general manager Dominique Meyer said during a recent news conference. “They could have reacted in the same way, because La Scala at the beginning of the war had nine months to substitute the opera with an Italian opera. La Scala management has emphasized its support of Ukraine, including a benefit concert that raised 400,000 euros ($421,000). “Boris Godunov” previously was conducted at La Scala by Arthur Toscanini and Claudio Abbado.

Italy’s premier opera house has opened its new season with the Russian opera “Boris Godunov.”.

The offices of Presidents Sergio Mattarella and Emmanuel Macron issued identical statements Monday after the two leaders spoke by telephone. France has a prime minister who is head of government, but is named by Macron who holds the real power in government. The diplomatic row erupted last week when Italy forced France's hand to accept a humanitarian rescue ship, the Ocean Viking with 234 migrants aboard, after Italy had refused it a port for weeks. “I would recall the importance of European unity, of responsibility when it comes to human life, and European solidarity. Tajani has accused France of overreacting to a statement issued by Meloni late Tuesday thanking Paris for taking in the Ocean Viking, a statement that was issued before France had publicly announced it would.

The presidents of Italy and France are seeking to tamp down tensions over migration.

Giorgia Meloni was ssworn into office as Italy's premier on Saturday to become the the first far-right-led government in the country since the end of World War II.

Giorgia Meloni was sworn in on Saturday as Italy's first far-right premier since the end of World War II. She is also the first woman to be premier.

As Giorgia Meloni becomes Italy’s first female premier, the world is watching closely to see if she will emerge as a firebrand leader of a far-right party with neo-fascist roots or the more moderate right-wing politician who succeded in capturing 26% of the vote.

Meloni’s Brothers of Italy, a party with neo-fascist roots, was the top vote-getter in Italy's national election last month. Meloni co-founded the party in December 2012, and it was considered a fringe movement on the right during its first years. Berlusconi and Salvini are longtime admirers of Russian President Vladimir Putin; Meloni staunchly backs Ukraine in its defense against the Russian invasion. Still, while her party's members are the largest force in the Italian Parliament, Meloni needs the support of her two allies to command a solid majority. Salvini had lobbied hard to be appointed interior minister by Meloni — a position he held in a 2018-2019 government formed by populists.

Leaked audio, vodka and his letters to Putin present a challenge to leader Giogia Meloni.

Meloni and her campaign allies met for about 10 minutes with President Sergio Mattarella at the Quirinal presidential palace. She emerged to tell reporters that the coalition had unanimously indicated to Mattarella that she deserved the mandate to govern. If Meloni, 45, succeeds, she would be the first woman to become Italian premier. Earlier this week in a meeting with his lawmakers he expressed sympathy for Putin’s motivation for invading Ukraine. That prompted Mattarella to dissolve parliament and pave the way for elections some six months early.

Giorgia Meloni has formed Italy’s new ruling coalition, giving the country its first far-right-led government since the end of World War II.

Italy’s presumed next premier, Giorgia Meloni, and former Premier Silvio Berlusconi are seeking to put days of acrimony behind them over possible Cabinet picks.

Italy’s Fascist past and its future governed by a party with neo-fascist origins have come to an emotional head during the first seating of Parliament since general elections last month.

Forming a new government in Italy involves time and decades-old rituals.

A party with neo-fascist roots has won the most votes in Italy’s national election, setting the stage for talks to form the country’s first far right-led government since World War II, with Giorgia Meloni at the helm as Italy’s first female premier.

The center-left did not agree on teaming up with left-leaning populists or centrists, which is a big disadvantage in Italian elections. But populist leaders saw their parties' support steadily slipping both in opinion polls and in various mayoral and gubernatorial races since the last national election in 2018. In July, 5-Star Movement head Giuseppe Conte, right-wing League leader Matteo Salvini and former Premier Silvio Berlusconi yanked their support for Premier Mario Draghi during a confidence vote. Her far-right Brothers of Italy, a party with neo-fascist roots, won just over 4% in the 2018 election. Since the last election, a reform has been passed aimed at streamlining Parliament and make its operation less costly to taxpayers.

A Sunday parliamentary election will determine who next governs major industrial economy and key NATO member Italy.

Three Americans are among winners of this year’s Balzan Prize.

Italian president Sergio Mattarella has joined a long list of officials voicing support for North Macedonia joining the European Union, together with other Western Balkan countries

Italy Politics Italian President Sergio Mattarella speaks at the Quirinale Presidential palace in Rome, Thursday, July 21, 2022. Italy’s president says he has dissolved Parliament after Premier Mario Draghi’s coalition fell apart. No date was set for a new election, but President Sergio Mattarella said it must be held within 70 days under Italy’s Constitution. President Sergio Mattarella was commemorating the trashing and torching by fascist thugs of a farm cooperative building in the northeastern city of Ravenna 100 years ago. Italy's fascist legacy faces increasingly scrutiny these days as the country holds an early parliamentary election on Sept 25.

Italy's president is urging Italians to reinvigorate their democracy as the country notes the 100th anniversary of an attack that paved Benito Mussolini's path to power.

The move by President Sergio Mattarella comes following the resignation of Premier Mario Draghi. A new election must be held within 70 days.

APTOPIX Italy Politics Italian Premier Mario Draghi waves to lawmakers at the end of his address at the Parliament in Rome, Thursday, July 21, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) (Andrew Medichini)ROME — (AP) — Italy is headed for an early election after its president accepted Premier Mario Draghi's resignation Thursday and decided there was no possibility for cobbling together another government following the rapid collapse of the ruling coalition. The demise of Draghi’s coalition in the eurozone’s third-largest economy and the uncertainty of what Italian voters will decide at the polls have dealt a destabilizing blow to the country and Europe amid rising inflation and Russia’s war in Ukraine. But he said he had no choice after Wednesday evening, when three key parties in Draghi's “unity” coalition refused to renew support in a confidence vote. Giorgia Meloni, who leads the Brothers of Italy, is eager to become the country's first female premier.

Italian Premier Mario Draghi’s decision to turn in his resignation after his “unity” coalition broke apart dramatically in Parliament was the latest step in a political crisis that could take months before a new government is solidly in place to lead the European Union’s third-largest economy

Italian Premier Mario Draghi's decision to turn in his resignation after his “unity” coalition broke apart dramatically in Parliament was the latest step in a political crisis that could take months before a new government is solidly in place to lead the European Union's third-largest economy.

APTOPIX Italy Politics Italian Premier Mario Draghi waves to lawmakers at the end of his address at the Parliament in Rome, Thursday, July 21, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) (Andrew Medichini)ROME — (AP) — Italy’s president said Thursday he has dissolved Parliament after Premier Mario Draghi’s coalition fell apart. While the next steps were unclear, Mattarella seemed likely to dissolve Parliament after a period of consultations, paving the way for an election as soon as late September or early October. The announcement cited the article in the Italian Constitution that says the president can dissolve Parliament. After 5-Star senators boycotted last week's vote, Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio accused Conte of giving Putin a gift.

Draghi's government of national unity collapsed Wednesday after members of his uneasy coalition of right, left and populists rebuffed his appeal to band back together.

APTOPIX Italy Politics Italian Premier Mario Draghi attends a debate at the Senate in Rome, Wednesday, July 20, 2022. Draghi tendered his resignation to President Sergio Mattarella during a morning meeting at the Quirinale Palace. Draghi told Parliament's lower chamber on Thursday that he was heading to see President Sergio Mattarella, suggesting his resignation was imminent. Among his options, Mattarella could ask Draghi to stay on in a caretaker role until an early election. Opinion polls have indicated neck-to-neck percentages for the center-left Democratic Party and the right-wing Brothers of Italy party, which had remained in the opposition to Draghi’s coalition.

Italy Politics Italian Premier Mario Draghi, background center, delivers his speech at the Parliament in Rome, Thursday, July 21, 2022. Italian Premier Mario Draghi has won a confidence vote in the Senate, but boycotts by three of his key coalition allies in the voting seem likely to have doomed the government's prospects of survival. Draghi told Parliament's lower chamber on Thursday that he was heading to see President Sergio Mattarella, suggesting his resignation was imminent. Among his options, Mattarella could ask Draghi to stay on in a caretaker role until an early election. Opinion polls have indicated neck-to-neck percentages for the center-left Democratic Party and the right-wing Brothers of Italy party, which had remained in the opposition to Draghi’s coalition.

Italy is headed for an early election after its president accepted Premier Mario Draghi’s resignation and decided there was no possibility for cobbling together another government.

Italy's Prime Minister Mario Draghi is expected to tell the country's president Thursday that he will resign, opening a new chapter of political uncertainty.

The rapid collapse of Mario Draghi's 17-month-old coalition could prompt President Sergio Mattarella to dissolve Parliament, opening the path to holding an early election.

Italy Politics Explainer FILE - Italy's President Sergio Mattarella, left, greets Italy's Prime Minister Mario Draghi at the Quirinale presidential palace in Rome, Friday, Nov. 26, 2021, ahead of the French President visit. (Alberto Pizzoli/Pool photo via AP, File) (Alberto Pizzoli)ROME — (AP) — Italian Premier Mario Draghi was deciding Wednesday whether to confirm his resignation or reconsider appeals to rebuild his parliamentary majority after the populist 5-Star Movement triggered a crisis in the government by withholding its support. Or will he stay on and lead Italy until the natural close of the legislature's five-year term and elections in the spring? “Draghi’s bitterness over the petty games played by various parties is completely understandable,” Monti wrote on the front page of Corriere della Sera. But he warned that Draghi “would show a lack of respect to the country and its citizens” if he followed through and stepped down.

Italian Premier Mario Draghi has won a confidence vote in the Senate, but boycotts by three of his key coalition allies in the voting have virtually doomed his unity government’s prospects of survival.

Draghi is to address parliamentarians Wednesday morning, but it is unclear whether he will stay in power.

Italy has had dozens of governments since the end of World War II.

Italy is entering five days of political and financial uncertainty after the 5-Star Movement sparked a government crisis by withholding support on a government-sponsored bill.

His attempted resignation comes at the worst possible time for the country. But the safest path for Italy is for him to stay put.

Italian Premier Mario Draghi has told his Cabinet he will offer his resignation on Thursday evening to the president, following the refusal of a coalition ally to support a government bill.

Italy Politics Italian Premier Mario Draghi meets the media in Rome, Tuesday, July 12, 2022. Premier Mario Draghi insisted Tuesday his government was able to continue working despite tensions with the 5-Star Movement, but he warned that it can’t function if coalition members make ultimatums. (Mauro Scrobogna/LaPresse via AP) (Mauro Scrobogna)ROME — (AP) — Italian Premier Mario Draghi has told his Cabinet he will offer his resignation on Thursday evening to the president, following the refusal of a coalition ally to support a government bill. ROME (AP) — Italian Premier Mario Draghi won a confidence vote Thursday in the Senate but the future of his pandemic unity government was in doubt after the populist 5-Star Movement boycotted the vote, throwing his coalition into crisis. Draghi met later Thursday with President Sergio Mattarella to decide on the next steps, including a possible offer to resign.

The Five Star Movement has rebelled against Prime Minister Mario Draghi over a bill giving Rome a much needed garbage incinerator.

The stability of Italian Premier Mario Draghi's coalition government is at risk because 5-Star lawmakers say they will not participate in a confidence vote in Parliament. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) (Gregorio Borgia)ROME — (AP) — Italian Premier Mario Draghi won a confidence vote in the Senate on Thursday but the future of his government was in doubt after the populist 5-Star Movement boycotted the vote, throwing his coalition into crisis. The vote was 172-39, but 5-Stars senators were absent after confirming they would not participate in the vote on a relief bill for soaring energy costs. At the debate's conclusion, Minister for Parliamentary Relations Federico D'Inca announced that the government was tying the bill to a make-or-break confidence vote. An ally of center-right leader Silvio Berlusconi, the former Italian premier, argued in the Senate that a collapse of Draghi's government could trigger "the destabilization of Europe."

Italy's president has rebuffed Premier Mario Draghi's offer to resign after a key ally refused to back the government in a Senate vote.

Italy Politics FILE - Italy's President Sergio Mattarella, left, greets Italy's Prime Minister Mario Draghi at the Quirinale presidential palace in Rome, Friday, Nov. 26, 2021, ahead of the French President visit. Draghi met Monday, July 11, 2022 with Italy’s president to discuss the future of his government amid simmering tensions with coalition member 5-Star Movement. (Alberto Pizzoli/Pool photo via AP, File) (Alberto Pizzoli)ROME — (AP) — Premier Mario Draghi insisted Tuesday his government was able to keep working despite tensions with the 5-Star Movement, but he warned that it can’t function if coalition members make ultimatums. Draghi briefed reporters after meeting with unions on the government’s latest efforts to mitigate the effects of soaring inflation and high energy costs on workers, families and industries. The measure comes before the Senate on Thursday, and questions abound about whether the 5-Stars will abstain in the upper chamber as well.

Premier Mario Draghi says his government is still able to get things done despite tensions with the 5-Star Movement.

Italy Politics FILE - Italy's President Sergio Mattarella, left, greets Italy's Prime Minister Mario Draghi at the Quirinale presidential palace in Rome, Friday, Nov. 26, 2021, ahead of the French President visit. Draghi met Monday, July 11, 2022 with Italy’s president to discuss the future of his government amid simmering tensions with coalition member 5-Star Movement. (Alberto Pizzoli/Pool photo via AP, File) (Alberto Pizzoli)ROME — (AP) — Italian Premier Mario Draghi met Monday with Italy’s president to discuss the future of his government amid simmering tensions with coalition member the 5-Star Movement. Five-Star lawmakers abstained from a vote in the lower Chamber of Deputies on Monday, signaling a lack of support for Draghi’s government. But after the abstentions Monday, lawmakers openly questioned whether Draghi could continue on without full 5-Star support.

Italy's Premier Mario Draghi is meeting with Italy’s president to discuss the future of his government amid simmering tensions with a coalition member, the 5-Star Movement.

ROME — (AP) — Italy on Friday marked the second anniversary of a tragic milestone of the coronavirus pandemic: the day when a convoy of army trucks had to transport the dead out of hard-hit Bergamo because the city’s cemeteries and crematoria were full. Premier Mario Draghi opened a press conference Friday with the leaders of Spain, Portugal and Greece by recalling that it was Italy's official Day of Remembrance for COVID-19 victims. “We bow down in memory of the victims,” Mattarella said in his tribute. The anniversary of the convoy comes as Italy begins winding down its anti-virus restrictions. Italy, which has recorded more than 157,000 official COVID deaths, has fully vaccinated 89.7% of its over-12 population.

Italy is marking the second anniversary of a tragic milestone of the coronavirus pandemic.

Italy Presidential Elections Senator Matteo Renzi casts his vote in the Italian parliament in Rome, Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022, during the seventh round of voting for Italy's 13th president. (Remo Casilli/Pool Photo via AP) (Remo Casilli)ROME — (AP) — Prosecutors in Florence on Wednesday requested trial indictment for former Italian Premier Matteo Renzi for alleged illegal political party funding. A former Democratic Party leader who served as Italy's premier from 2014-16, Renzi is now a senator who leads a small centrist party in Parliament. He alleges that the magistrates have been targeting him for years as they investigated funding of a foundation backing Renzi. Also being investigated by Florence prosecutors are two former government ministers close to Renzi.

Prosecutors in Florence have requested trial indictment for former Italian Premier Matteo Renzi for alleged illegal political party funding.

Italy New President Newly re-elected Italian President Sergio Mattarella stands during his swearing-in ceremony in the Italian parliament in Rome, Thursday, Feb. 3, 2022. (Filippo Monteforte/Pool photo via AP) (Filippo Monteforte)ROME — (AP) — Italian President Sergio Mattarella received an astounding 55 rounds of applause from an otherwise divided parliament Thursday after he was sworn in to a second term in office. Mattarella, 80, agreed to remain in office after Italy’s fractious parties failed to agree on a successor, citing a sense of responsibility given the ongoing pandemic and efforts to relaunch the economy. The role is largely ceremonial, but can also require institutional knowledge and deft negotiations to navigate political crises. Mattarella is the second president to accept a second term, following Giorgio Napolitano, who agreed to stay on after a similar political stalemate, leaving office in 2015 when he was nearly 90.

Italy New President Newly re-elected Italian President Sergio Mattarella stands during his swearing-in ceremony in the Italian parliament in Rome, Thursday, Feb. 3, 2022. (Filippo Monteforte/Pool photo via AP) (Filippo Monteforte)ROME — (AP) — Italian President Sergio Mattarella received an astounding 55 rounds of applause from an otherwise divided parliament Thursday after he was sworn in to a second term in office. Mattarella, 80, agreed to remain in office after Italy’s fractious parties failed to agree on a successor, citing a sense of responsibility given the ongoing pandemic and efforts to relaunch the economy. The role is largely ceremonial, but can also require institutional knowledge and deft negotiations to navigate political crises. Mattarella is the second president to accept a second term, following Giorgio Napolitano, who agreed to stay on after a similar political stalemate in 2015 when he was nearly 90.

President Sergio Mattarella received an astounding 55 rounds of applause from an otherwise divided Italian parliament Thursday during a wide-ranging speech that underlined the need for national unity after he was sworn in to a second term in office.

Italy's President Sergio Mattarella had set his eyes on retirement but was re-elected to the post after Italian lawmakers failed to agree on another candidate.

Mattarella has been elected to a second seven-year term as the country’s head of state, ending days of political impasse as party leaders struggled to pick his successor. Applause broke out in Parliament, prompting the Chamber of Deputies president to interrupt his reading aloud of the ballots. Draghi had previously indicted he would be willing to move into the president's role, but some party leaders featured that would prompt an early election. Italy's presidency is a generally largely ceremonial role, that sees the head of state make official trips abroad or receives visiting foreign leaders to strengthen Italy’s international relations. On occasion, the president can send legislation back to Parliament to modify aspects deemed not in keeping with the post-war Constitution.

Italy Presidential Vote FILE - Italian President Sergio Mattarella stands with French President Emmanuel Macron at Quirinale Presidential Palace in Rome, Nov. 25, 2021. ROME (AP) — After days of stalemate, Italian party leaders on Saturday urged 80-year-old President Sergio Mattarella to change his mind and stay on for a second seven-year term amids concern protracted political squabbling would erode the nation's credibility. Rai state TV said Premier Mario Draghi, a non-partisan former chief of the European Central Bank who is leading a pandemic unity government, telephoned party leaders to encourage the lobbying. Draghi had previously indicted he would be willing to move into the president's role, but some party leaders featured that would prompt an early election. Until 2013, no president had served a second term.

Italy Presidential Vote FILE - Italian President Sergio Mattarella stands with French President Emmanuel Macron at Quirinale Presidential Palace in Rome, Nov. 25, 2021. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, Pool, File) (Andrew Medichini)ROME — (AP) — After days of stalemate, Italian party leaders on Saturday urged 80-year-old President Sergio Mattarella to change his mind and stay on for a second seven-year term amids concern protracted political squabbling would erode the nation's credibility. Rai state TV said Premier Mario Draghi, a non-partisan former chief of the European Central Bank who is leading a pandemic unity government, telephoned party leaders to encourage the lobbying. Draghi had previously indicted he would be willing to move into the president's role, but some party leaders featured that would prompt an early election. Until 2013, no president had served a second term.

The sixth round of voting ended inconclusively on Friday, sending political parties into yet more intense negotiations to come up with a viable candidate to replace President Sergio Mattarella, whose term expires next week. The president, who is 80, has repeatedly said he doesdn't want another seven-year stint as head of state. Until 2013, no president had served a second term. Napolitano resigned in 2015, when he was nearly 90, clearing the way for the election that made Mattarella head of state. In that round, Mattarella garnered 387 votes, 51 more than he received in Friday evening's vote, where momentum for a second mandate started gaining traction.

Italian President Sergio Mattarella has been pulled away from his impending retirement and reelected to a second seven-year term as the country’s head of state, ending days of political impasse as party leaders struggled to pick his successor.

Italy Presidential Elections President of the Italian Senate, Maria Elisabetta Alberti Casellati, left, and President of the Italian Lower Chamber Roberto Fico count ballots in the Italian parliament in Rome, during a voting session in the Italian parliament, in Rome, Friday, Jan. 28, 2022. The first rounds of voting in Italy's Parliament for the country's next president yielded an avalanche of blank ballots, as lawmakers and special regional electors failed to deliver a winner amid a political stalemate. At the start of the fifth day of voting, right-wing League leader Matteo Salvini declared that the center-right bloc would vote for the Senate president, Maria Elisabetta Alberti Casellati. A sixth round of balloting, held on Friday evening, also yielded no winner, with leaders from the center-right bloc indicating their electors were sitting out that round while behind-the-scenes negotiations continued. The president, however, helps to authoritatively mediate Italy’s frequent political squabbling in its coalition governments and can dissolve Parliament if it becomes hopelessly stalemated.

Italy Presidential Elections President of the Italian Senate, Maria Elisabetta Alberti Casellati, left, and President of the Italian Lower Chamber Roberto Fico count ballots in the Italian parliament in Rome, during a voting session in the Italian parliament, in Rome, Friday, Jan. 28, 2022. The first rounds of voting in Italy's Parliament for the country's next president yielded an avalanche of blank ballots, as lawmakers and special regional electors failed to deliver a winner amid a political stalemate. At the start of the fifth day of voting, right-wing League leader Matteo Salvini declared that the center-right bloc would vote for Senate president, Maria Elisabetta Alberti Casellati. Neither of the two major blocs in Parliament – the center-right or center-left – has that majority on paper. Under the Constitution, the head of state represents national unity who helps to authoritatively mediate Italy’s frequent political squabbling in its coalition governments.

Insistence by Italy's center-right bloc that their candidate becomes the nation's president has backfired.

Italy Presidential Elections President of the Italian Senate Maria Elisabetta Alberti Casellati, left, and President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies Roberto Fico count ballots during a voting session in the Italian parliament, in Rome, Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022. The first rounds of voting in Italy's Parliament for the country's next president yielded an avalanche of blank ballots, as lawmakers and special regional electors failed to deliver a winner amid a political stalemate. But the 80-year-old president has made clear he doesn’t want a second term. Thursday was the first day of voting that a president could be elected with simple majority, or 505 votes, rather than the absolute majority required in the first three rounds. Italy’s head of state is largely ceremonial, but the president is key in navigating Italy’s not-infrequent political crises.

Lawmakers and regional representatives have failed again to find consensus on a new Italian president.

Italy Presidential Elections Ballots are counted in the Italian parliament in Rome, Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2022. (Alberto Pizzoli/Pool photo via AP) (Alberto Pizzoli)ROME — (AP) — The third round of voting by Italian lawmakers for a new Italian president ended inconclusively on Wednesday, sending political parties into yet more intense negotiations to come up with a viable candidate to replace President Sergio Mattarella, whose term expires next week. No party has yet put forward a serious candidate as they ran down the clock on voting rounds requiring an absolute majority. Beginning Thursday, a president can be elected with simple majority, or 505 votes, raising the pressure on leaders to reach a deal. Italy’s head of state is largely ceremonial, but the president is key in navigating Italy’s not-infrequent political crises.

The third round of voting for a new Italian president ended has again ended inconclusively, sending political parties into yet more intense negotiations to come up with a viable candidate to replace President Sergio Mattarella, whose term expires next week.

Italy Presidential Vote Senator Emma Bonino casts her ballot during the first round of votes in the Italian parliament, Monday, Jan. 24, 2022. The first round of voting for Italy’s next president opens Monday without a clear slate of candidates. Political parties held internal meetings over the weekend, but were keeping the names of possible candidates close to their vests. During the first three rounds of voting, a two-thirds majority, or 672 votes, is necessary to win. Garnering the next amount of votes, with 16, was outgoing President Sergio Mattarella, 80, who has repeatedly said he did not want to run again.

A first round of voting to elect Italy's next president has failed as expected amid a political impasse.

Former Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi has been undergoing a series of medical examinations in a Milan hospital.

Former premier Silvio Berlusconi has bowed out of Italy’s presidential election set for next week.

Italy is poised to elect a new president, a figure who is supposed to serve as the nation’s moral compass and foster unity by being above the political fray.

Italy Politics FILE - Former and present Italian Premiers Silvio Berlusconi, left, and Mario Draghi, right, are seen during a press conference at Chigi Palace,in Rome, on Oct. 8, 2008. Italy’s lower chamber of parliament on Tuesday set Jan. 24 as the start date to begin voting for a new Italian president, officially kicking off a campaign that is expected to see Premier Mario Draghi and ex-Premier Silvio Berlusconi vie for the prestigious job. The victor, who is chosen by around 1,000 “big electors" among lawmakers and regional representatives, will replace President Sergio Mattarella, whose seven-year term ends Feb. 3. The voting is expected to last several rounds over several days. On Tuesday, Italian news reports said the 5 Star Movement was instead rallying behind a second Mattarella term.

Italy has set Jan. 24 as the start date to begin voting for a new Italian president.

French authorities have announced that children six and older will have to wear masks in indoor places open to the public as new cases of the highly contagious omicron variant surge past 200.000 for the fourth consecutive day.

The Italian presidency has limited powers and is largely ceremonial. But the president plays a key role in resolving political impasses, and having the internationally respected Draghi in the Quirinale Palace would send a signal of Italian stability and credibility for seven more years. Draghi, 74, didn’t respond directly Wednesday when asked repeatedly about his future at a year-end news conference. Draghi demurred when asked Wednesday if he thought Berlusconi was a viable candidate, saying it's not for him to evaluate possible heads of state. The Italian president had called on Draghi, the former head of the European Central Bank, to lead a broad-based government in February after a political crisis that saw the collapse of Giuseppe Conte’s government.

Italian Premier Mario Draghi says his government has accomplished most of what it set out do in fighting the pandemic and restoring economic growth.

While many European theaters remain closed due to the pandemic, the famed Teatro alla Scala has opened its new season with the gala premiere of Verdi’s “Macbeth” to a fully seated house.

Italy La Scala La Scala opera house general manager Dominique Meyer poses for photographers prior to the start of a news conference to present Giuseppe Verdi's 'Macbeth', directed by Italian conductor Riccardo Chailly, who will open the opera season at the La Scala opera house next, Dec.7, in Milan, Italy, Monday, Nov. 29, 2021. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno) (Luca Bruno)MILAN — (AP) — While many European theaters remain closed due to the pandemic, the famed Teatro alla Scala on Tuesday opens its new season Tuesday with the gala premiere of Verdi’s “Macbeth” to a fully seated house. La Scala resumed performances at full capacity in September, but there remain considerations for the pandemic: Attendees must be vaccinated or recently recovered to attend performances in Italy under new government regulations launched this week for the holiday season. President Sergio Mattarella is expected to attend what has long been heralded as the cultural event of the European calendar. La Scala’s music director, Riccardo Chailly, conducts “Macbeth” with a modern staging by Davide Livermore in the pair’s fourth consecutive collaboration for La Scala’s highly touted Dec. 7 season premiere marking the holiday for Milan’s patron Saint Ambrose.

Masked Milanese turned out in all their finery for La Scala’s gala season opener of Verdi’s “Macbeth” in a fully seated theater.

Italian Premier Mario Draghi says a bilateral treaty signed with French President Emmanuel Macron to deepen bilateral cooperation will in turn strengthen the European Union.

Leaders of the world’s biggest economies have endorsed a global minimum tax on corporations as part of an agreement on new international tax rules.

President Joe Biden says Pope Francis told him he's a “good Catholic” and should keep taking Communion when the world's two most prominent Roman Catholics met at the Vatican on Friday.

Virus Outbreak Italy FILE - In this Friday, Oct. 15, 2021 file photo, port workers gather during a protest in Trieste, Italy. Italy’s president on Monday strongly criticized the violent protests that have erupted Italy’s new anti-coronavirus workplace health pass requirement, saying they appeared aimed at jeopardizing Italy’s economic recovery just as it was getting going. The protesters, who have included right-wing agitators in previous episodes, oppose the so-called Green Pass requirement. (Duccio Pugliese/LaPresse via AP, File) (Duccio Pugliese)ROME — (AP) — Italy’s president on Monday strongly criticized the violence that has erupted amid protests over the country's new coronavirus workplace health pass requirement, saying it appeared aimed at jeopardizing Italy’s economic recovery. The protesters, who have included right-wing agitators in previous episodes, oppose Italy's Green Pass requirement.

An Israeli-French-American Holocaust survivor and historian and a U.S. scientist specializing in gut bacteria were among the recipients this year’s Balzan Prizes, recognizing scholarly and scientific achievements.

Gino Strada, an Italian emergency room surgeon who helped establish a humanitarian group to operate on civilians wounded in war, has died.

Europe's soccer champions have returned home to the ecstatic cheers of Italians.

Italian Rai state TV says Raffaella Carra', for decades one of Italy's most popular entertainers, has died at 78.

Milva, one of Italy's most popular singers in the ‘60s and ’70s who also had many fans abroad, has died at her home in Milan.

Pope Francis and Italy's president have marked the nation's first annual day to honor doctors, nurses and other health care workers, exactly a year after the nation's first known native case of COVID-19 emerged. (Paolo Giandotti/Italian Presidency via AP)ROME – Pope Francis and Italy’s president on Saturday marked a newly established annual day to honor doctors, nurses and other health care workers, exactly one year after the nation’s first known native case of COVID-19 emerged. Expressing gratitude to doctors, nurses and other health care workers, Francis likened their dedication to “a vaccine against individualism and selfishness.'' AdPresident Sergio Mattarella marked the first National Day of Health Care Personnel by mourning the many medical workers who contracted COVID-19 and died. More COVID-19 anniversary commemorations are scheduled for Sunday in Italy, especially in the hard-hit north, where the outbreak first pummeled the nation.

Segre's efforts to encourage other older adults to receive the anti-COVID-19 vaccine as she did have triggered a wave of anti-Semitic comments and other invective on social media. (Yara Nardi/pool photo via AP, file)ROME – An Italian Holocaust survivor’s attempt to encourage other older adults to receive the anti-COVID-19 vaccine has triggered a wave of anti-Semitic comments and other invective on social media. Liliana Segre, 90, received the first of the two-shot vaccine series in Milan on Thursday. She urged people who reach her age “to not be afraid and to take the vaccine.”“I’m not afraid of the vaccine, I’m afraid of the illness," Segre remarked. Segre was one of the few Italian children to survive deportation to a Nazi death camp.

Italy's Prime Minister Mario Draghi attends a debate at the Senate, in Rome, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021, before submitting his government to a vote of confidence. A confidence vote Thursday in the lower Chamber of Deputies is also expected to give Draghi broad backing, since he has secured support from across Italy's political spectrum. Ad“Today, unity isn’t an option, it’s an obligation,“ Draghi said to applause as he outlined his government program. Italy has one of the EU’s worst records on making use of designated EU funds, a trend Draghi seems intent on ending. Draghi quoted Pope Francis in calling for a new approach to preserving the environment and Italy’s cultural and natural treasures.

Italian President Sergio Mattarella had tasked the former European Central Bank president with trying to form a government up to managing the the health, economic and social crises of the coronavirus pandemic. AdDraghi’s most-quoted words so far have been those uttered in 2012 when the euro-zone risked collapsing in a crisis of confidence and he vowed the European Central Bank would do “whatever it takes” to rescue the euro. The current head of the European Central Bank, Christine Lagarde, tweeted her congratulations. Italy's health minister through the pandemic, Roberto Speranza, kept his post, the sole minister from a small left-wing party. ___This story has been corrected to show that employees applauded for Conte, not Draghi.

The formation of a broad-based government of national unity was widely expected after most political parties across the spectrum signaled their support for Draghi. Draghi also has the support of former Premier Silvio Berlusconi's center-right Forza Italia and former Premier Matteo Renzi's Italy Alive Party. The far-right Brothers of Italy party said it will remain in opposition, after Salvini and Berlusconi broke their right-wing alliance to back Draghi. Draghi, 73, replaces Giuseppe Conte, who resigned after a small party yanked support over the handling of the pandemic. For his 23-member Cabinet, Draghi also transformed the environment ministry into a more developmentally oriented post for ecological transition, tapping Roberto Cingolani, an expert in nanotechnology, to run it.

Outgoing Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte waves as he leaves after meeting journalists outside Chigi palace Premier's office in Rome, Thursday, Feb. 4, 2021. Draghi must rely on political support to pass measures aimed at helping Italy emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic and revive its economy, already stagnant before being pummeled by lockdown measures. “I hope for a political government that is solid and has sufficient cohesion to be able to make political choices, because the urgencies of the country need political choices, they can’t be entrusted to technocrats,” Conte said. Conte also pitched to two other parties from his unraveled coalition, the center-left Democrats and the leftist Free and Equal Party. His call for a political alliance appeared to indicate Conte intended to stay in politics, even while out of office.

FILE - In this Thursday, July 4, 2013 file photo, President of European Central Bank Mario Draghi smiles during a news conference in Frankfurt, Germany. Because it is Mario Draghi,’’ the deputy manager of the leading Milan Daily Corriere della Sera, Daniele Manca, said on Wednesday. He took a pragmatic approach during the financial crisis. Draghi joined the ECB as its third chief in 2011, just as Italy was engulfed in a debt crisis. The largely ceremonial role proves key in helping manage Italy’s all-too-frequent political crises, which require deft negotiations and unassailable knowledge of Italy’s constitution and institutions.