Three key allies won’t back Italy PM Draghi in crucial vote

By NICOLE WINFIELD and FRANCES D’EMILIO
Associated Press

ROME (AP) — Three key political parties are refusing to participate in a confidence vote that Italian Premier Mario Draghi requested to determine if his government should continue. The refusals, announced Wednesday evening by the populist 5-Star Movement, as well as parties headed by former Premier Silvio Berlusconi and right-wing leader Matteo Salvini, could doom the 17-month old government. The political turmoil was triggered last week when the populists refused to vote for a government energy bill. Draghi’s offer to resign on July 14 was rebuffed by Italy’s president. The coalition’s collapse came despite an unprecedented outpouring of public pleas for him to stay at the helm of Italy’s national unity government.