ROME, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Italian governing parties will ask current President Sergio Mattarella his availability to be confirmed for a second term, local media reported on Saturday.
Parties' whips would formalize the request in a visit to Mattarella at the Quirinale presidential palace Saturday afternoon.
The leaders of the country's two coalitions -- the center-right and the center-left -- agreed on this after a meeting in the morning, while their respective lawmakers were going through the seventh, inconclusive vote.
In fact, their step came after almost a week of failing ballots to elect Mattarella's successor by the parliament gathered in joint session of both houses.
Mattarella, 80, was firstly elected in 2015 and his term ends on Feb. 3. He has repeatedly made clear he would not agree on a second term, and it remains unclear yet whether he would answer positively to the request.
Yet, the visible stalemate among major forces, if prolonged further, would risk bringing about new instability to the country.
Prime Minister Mario Draghi -- also seen as a frontrunner in the election in the first days -- held a 30-minute talk with Mattarella in the morning, asking him to overcome his will to retire, Ansa news agency reported citing "authoritative sources."
All the largest parties' leaders openly acknowledged they were unable to agree on another single candidature that could gather the necessary broad, bipartisan consensus.
"Italians do not deserve more confusing days... let's close it here and ask President Mattarella to sacrifice and keep representing us, so we can soon go back to work for the country," right-wing League chief Matteo Salvini told reporters.
Center-left Democratic Party leader Enrico Letta did not directly speak to the media, but posted a meaningful post on Twitter showing a large banner visible on a building in Rome and reading "Thanks President Mattarella."
In a note, center-right Forza Italia leader Silvio Berlusconi stated that this was a moment for unity, and "today this unity can only be found around a figure such as President Sergio Mattarella."
Former prime minister and Five Star Movement chief, Giuseppe Conte, told reporters a possible reconfirmation of Mattarella was now one of the few ways left to ensure "a stable cabinet and a strong and determined government's action."
In fact, Draghi's coalition cabinet is made of parties from both the center-right and the center-left coalitions.
To be elected as the 13th president of the country, any candidate needs at least 505 votes, and another ballot is scheduled for Saturday afternoon.
