Draghi now leads a fractured government on the brink of collapse and is widely expected to resign. Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said the events represented “a black page for Italy,” in a tweet. “On this day of madness, Parliament decides to go against Italy,” he tweeted. Earlier on Wednesday, Draghi had asked lawmakers to support the coalition government in a bid to avoid calling early elections. “We need a new pact of trust, honest and concrete, like the one that has allowed us so far to change the country for the better,” he said. “If we still want to stay together, the only way is to rebuild this pact (of national unity) with courage, altruism, credibility,” added the former head of the European Central Bank. Another former prime minister, Matteo Renzi, thanked Draghi for his efforts after the vote. “As I said in the Senate from tomorrow nothing will be the same again,” he wrote. “Proud that I wanted it against everything and everyone. Proud that I still supported him today.” To resign, Draghi would have to tender his resignation to the country’s president, Sergio Mattarella. The pair were not scheduled to meet Wednesday, a presidential source told CNN. Draghi has already tendered his resignation once, last week, after the 5-Star movement withdrew its support in a parliamentary confidence vote for a package designed to tackle Italy’s cost-of-living crisis. He has said in the past that he will not lead a government that does not include 5 Stars. However, Draghi’s resignation at the time was rejected by Italian President Sergio Mattarella, who urged him to stay and find a solution.
