Italy PM proposes senior judge to be next presidentJanuary 29, 2015 - 19:21 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi proposed a senior judge to be the country's next president on Thursday, Jan 29, a move that his party welcomed but which may strain an alliance on reforms with opposition rival Silvio Berlusconi, according to Reuters. Though historically a largely ceremonial figure, the Italian head of state has important powers at times of political instability, a frequent occurrence in Italy, as he or she can dissolve parliament, call elections, and pick prime ministers. Some 1,009 parliamentarians and regional officials started a first round of voting at 3 pm, at which a candidate would need a two-thirds majority to win. That is unlikely to happen, but from the fourth round -- probably on Saturday -- only a simple majority is required. Renzi put forward Sergio Mattarella, a constitutional court judge and a former defense minister, as the candidate for his Democratic Party (PD) at a meeting of his party's electors, who unanimously accepted the candidacy. Mattarella, whose brother was murdered by the Sicilian Mafia in 1980, would be "capable of guaranteeing Italy seven years of distinguished leadership," Renzi said. It is still unclear whether Berlusconi will back Mattarella, who is not thought to be among his favored candidates. In 1990, Mattarella resigned as education minister in protest over a government decree which favored Berlusconi's media empire. Since Renzi said he was not willing to select a compromise candidate, the choice of Mattarella could drive a political wedge between the two leaders whose alliance over electoral and constitutional reform has created friction in Renzi's PD. Photo: Intelligonews Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Titus, Bilirakis lead legislation to sanction Azerbaijani war criminals Representatives Dina Titus (D-NV) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) have introduced the bipartisan legislation. Armenia: Defense Ministry warns against involving army in political processes The Ministry’s statement came after a video surfaced online, showing soldiers joining the protests in Tavush. Scholz hopes Armenia-Azerbaijan peace treaty will be signed this year German Chancellor Olaf Scholz hopes that a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan will be signed this year. Ucom equips four bus stops in Ijevan with free Wi-Fi Ucom now provides free Wi-Fi coverage in smart bus stops in four communities of Ijevan. |