Europe | Matteo Salvini’s quest for power

Political chaos in Italy as new elections beckon

The right-wing Northern League is on a roll

|ROME

THE powers of an Italian president are few, but mighty. He—there has never been a she—can declare war, dissolve parliament and name the prime minister. The constitution also stipulates that the president names the ministers, “on the proposal” of the prime minister-designate—a provision that has been interpreted to mean that a prospective head of government must table a list of choices that the president can accept or, sometimes, reject.

This article appeared in the Europe section of the print edition under the headline “Matteo Salvini’s quest for power”

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