Draghi takes helm in Italy, focused on pandemic recovery aid

ROME (AP) — Mario Draghi, the man largely credited with saving the euro currency, took the helm as Italy's premier Saturday after assembling a government of economic experts and other technocrats along with career politicians from across the spectrum to guide the pandemic-devastated nation toward recovery.

Draghi and his 23 Cabinet ministers took their oaths of office at the Quirinal presidential palace. Italian President Sergio Mattarella had tasked the former European Central Bank president with trying to form a government up to managing the the health, economic and social crises of the coronavirus pandemic.

In deference to coronavirus precautions, all participants in the swearing-in ceremony were masked, and a palace aide provided each minister with a fresh pen to sign their oath. Draghi made no public comments during the first hours of his premiership, and his eyes showed no discernible emotion over his N95 mask.

Draghi’s most-quoted words so far have been those uttered in 2012 when the euro-zone risked collapsing in a crisis of confidence and he vowed the European Central Bank would do “whatever it takes” to rescue the euro.

The current head of the European Central Bank, Christine Lagarde, tweeted her congratulations. "I wish him all the best as he takes on the task ahead, leading the government in the best interests of all Italian citizens,” she said.

Also tweeting good wishes was the European Union's top executive, Ursula von der Leyen, who called Draghi's experience “an exceptional asset for Italy & Europe." She said she was looking forward to working with Draghi “for our common recovery.”

Draghi, 73, an economist who also previously led Italy’s central bank, replaced now-former Premier Giuseppe Conte, whose government collapsed after a small party yanked support over the handling of...