La Gazzetta di Messelia

Future of Valerio Government Hangs in the Balance
Marta Pezzaloni

Senators at the Judiciary Committee passed the confidence motion on July 09

Messelia. There will be little rest for First Councillor Marco Valerio this weekend, as he tries to rally support against an impending confidence vote in the Senate, amid a flurry of speculation that the Alliance for Sustainable Development (ASS) is no longer willing to support his government, and despite repeated calls for him to step down.

A month after the hostage crisis that resulted in dozens of children dead and increased secretism on the part of the intelligence services, the embattled First Councillor has faced increasing challenges to his government, but it may all come to a head on Monday, when the Senate consider on a confidence vote motioned by Marcio Salucci (ADM-BC), a leading opposition voice and an unlikely ally of detractors of the First Councillor from within the ASS, which is still officially part of the governing coalition.

To his opponents, the First Councillor failed to ensure adequate security and as overly secretive in his handling of the aftermath of the hostage crisis, refusing to disclose key information about the group involved in the crisis and the operation that resulted in the liberation of the hostages. Sources close to the Senate Intelligence Committee indicate that members from both the Coalition and the Opposition have been very displeased with the lack of information volunteered by Mr Valerio, and had to resort to obscure legal provisions to obtain that information.

Senator Salucci, Speaker of the Merchant Rights Association (ADM), introduced the confidence motion on July 07, shortly before a midyear recess. While many experts say the intent was to begin rallying support and warming senators up to the idea that such a motion could be viable, support was much higher than expected, particularly among backbenchers in the ASS. With mixed support, the motion passed 214-194, and a confidence vote on the First Councillor was scheduled for August 07.

Mr Valerio has faced intense pressure from all parties to step down, since it is widely believed that, without support from the ASS, he will not have enough votes to remain in office, yet he has so far refused and instead publicly announced his intention to face the confidence vote. This will force the ASS to vote against its own Coalition, a highly destabilising move, though party leadership says that it remains committed to working with the Coalition, regardless of who is First Councillor.