Italian PM Draghi says he would step down if parties quit coalition

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said on Thursday he would step down if his coalition lost the support of some of its members, but added he was confident the government was not in jeopardy.

Draghi, the former head of the European Central Bank, has been leading a broad coalition since February 2021, but tensions among political parties have increased ahead of a general election due in the first half of 2023.

"The government is not at risk. And it can't exist without the 5-Star Movement," Draghi told a news conference on Thursday, referring to one of the largest ruling parties which has expressed repeated doubts about government policy.

Draghi said he would not be content with 5-Star withdrawing from the government but providing external support to get legislation passed.

The prime minister returned home early from a NATO summit on Wednesday evening to chair a cabinet meeting that agreed further measures to deal with the energy crisis caused by the conflict in Ukraine.

His early return to Rome also came amid media reports of disagreement between Draghi and 5-Star leader Giuseppe Conte.

Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio last week left 5-Star to form a new parliamentary group backing the government.