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A6 WORLD NEWS
Monday 31 January 2022
Italy’s president, 80, is recruited to stay on for 2nd term

By Frances D’emilio strong will of Parliament to
Associated Press re-elect him to a second
(AP) — Italian President Ser- mandate,” the premier
gio Mattarella was pulled said.
away from his impending “You don’t change a win-
retirement and reelected ning team,″ former Premier
Saturday to a second sev- Matteo Renzi told reporters
en-year term as the coun- ahead of the final vote..
try’s head of state, ending Former Prime Minister Sil-
days of political impasse vio Berlusconi, who heads
by party leaders that risked the center-right Forza Italia
eroding the nation’s cred- party he founded and who
ibility. a week earlier dropped his
Earlier on Saturday, law- own bid to be president,
makers entreated Mat- said that unity “today can
tarella, 80, who had said only be found around” the
repeatedly he didn’t want figure of Mattarella.
a second mandate, to The head of the populist
change his mind after law- 5-Star Movement, Parlia-
makers in Parliament and ment’s largest force, former
regional delegates voted Premier Giuseppe Conte,
fruitlessly for days, trying to also praised Mattarella as
reach a consensus on oth- “the guarantor of every-
er possible candidates. Italian President Sergio Mattarella speaks during a meeting with Secretary of State Antony Blinken body, impartial, authori-
Mattarella won in the eighth at Quirinale Palace in Rome, Monday, June 28, 2021. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, Pool, File) tative.″ Conte’s praise for
round of voting when he Mattarella was all the more
clinched the minimum of sires prevail over a “sense move from the presidential ment, telephoned party remarkable considering
505 votes needed from the of responsibility” during the palace. leaders to encourage the how, when Conte was try-
eligible 1,009 Grand Elec- ”grave health, economic But after a seventh round of lobbying. Draghi had pre- ing to form Italy’s first popu-
tors. Applause broke out and social emergency” balloting in six days in Par- viously indicted he would list-led government in 2018,
in Parliament, prompting Italy was enduring in the liament failed to yield any be willing to move into the Mattarella vetoed his pick
the Chamber of Deputies COVID-19 pandemic. He consensus on a presiden- president’s role, but some of a euro-skeptic econo-
president to interrupt his added his commitment “to tial candidate, party whips party leaders featured that mist for the post of finance
reading of the ballots. The interpret the expectations and regional governors vis- would prompt an early minister, an appointment
count then resumed, with and hopes of our fellow ited Mattarella at the presi- election and more political likely to have shaken finan-
Mattarella going on to win citizens.” dential palace Saturday to instability for Italy. cial markets’ faith in Italy.
759 votes. Mattarella’s first term ends reenlist him. Draghi hailed Mattarella’s Also lobbying for Mattarella
In a brief, televised state- on Thursday. Ahead of Rai state TV said Premier re-election as “splendid was right-wing League par-
ment from the Quirinal the presidential election Mario Draghi, the former news for Italians.” ty leader Matteo Salvini,
presidential palace, Mat- this week, Mattarella had European Central Bank “I am grateful to the presi- whose candidates failed
tarella told the nation he even rented an apartment chief who is leading a dent for his choice in ac- to take off in the early
couldn’t let his personal de- in Rome to prepare for his pandemic unity govern- commodating the very rounds.q
Northern Ireland marks 50 years since Bloody Sunday

Sunday Monument, where Wednesday that Bloody important because time is
political leaders including Sunday was “one of the moving on too for many,
Irish Premier Micheal Martin darkest days in our history” many families and families
laid wreaths in a ceremony. and that the country “must need closure.”
The names of those who learn from the past.” Michael McKinney, whose
were killed and wounded One former British soldier brother William was among
were read out during the was charged in 2019 in the the victims, criticized the
45-minute memorial ser- killing of two of the protest- British government’s plans
vice. ers and the injury of four to make it harder to pros-
Britain’s government apol- others. But prosecutors ecute military veterans for
ogized in 2010 after an of- decided last year not to alleged offenses commit-
People take part in a march to commemorate the 50th anniver-
sary of the 'Bloody Sunday' shootings with the photographs of ficial inquiry found that the proceed with the case be- ted years earlier.
some of the victims in Londonderry, Sunday, Jan. 30, 2022. (AP soldiers fired without justifi- cause there was no longer “They are trying to deny us
Photo/Peter Morrison) cation on unarmed, flee- a prospect of conviction. justice because they are
ing civilians and then lied Families of one of the vic- scared to face justice. But
Associated Press on civil rights protesters on about it for decades. The tims have brought a legal we want to send a very
(AP) — Hundreds of people Jan. 30, 1972, in the city of report refuted an initial in- challenge against that de- clear warning to the British
gathered Sunday in North- Derry, also known as Lon- vestigation that took place cision. government. If they pursue
ern Ireland to mark 50 years donderry. soon after the slayings that Martin, the Irish leader, said their proposals, the Bloody
since “Bloody Sunday,” Relatives of those killed said the soldiers had been Sunday that there should Sunday families will be
one of the deadliest days and injured half a cen- defending themselves be full accountability in all ready to meet them head
in the conflict known as The tury ago took part in a re- against Irish Republican legacy issues. on,” McKinney said. Irish
Troubles. membrance walk Sunday, Army bombers and gun- “I don’t believe this will be President Michael D. Hig-
Thirteen people were killed retracing the steps of the men. any amnesty for anybody,” gins is expected to deliver
and 15 others wounded original march. Crowds Prime Minister Boris John- he said after meeting with a message to the affected
when British soldiers fired gathered at the Bloody son told Parliament on the families of victims. “It is families later Sunday.q