As in the rest of Europe, Italy’s immunisation campaign has been held up by production delays for the vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech. At the current pace, it would take almost five years to vaccinate the majority of Italians, according to the most recent data. Conte is serving his second consecutive stint as prime minister — first as the head of an alliance of right-wing nationalists and populists, and then leading a coalition of populists and the centre left establishment that focused almost exclusively on the pandemic. Two weeks ago, he lost the support of Italia Viva, the political party of former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi. The principal partners of Conte’s 17-month-old coalition have reiterated their support for the prime minister.

Source: bd News24 January 26, 2021 16:18 UTC