Italian President Sergio Mattarella dissolved parliament on Thursday, setting the country on the path to a national election on March 4 that could lead to a hung parliament and a period of political turbulence.
The head of state signed a decree ending the legislative sessions in both houses of parliament, according to an emailed statement from Mattarella’s office. At a cabinet meeting later, the government of Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni set the election date, according to an official who could not be named because he was not authorized to comment publicly on the issue.