Italians aren’t used to seeing their prime ministers stick around for long, but many are hoping Mario Draghi proves to be the exception. That’s because the former European Central Bank chief has brought a steady hand to national politics in Rome, keeping the country on an even keel as it seeks to exit the pandemic while trimming its sails with a series of economic reforms.

Not aligned with any party, Draghi is governing Italy as a technocrat, lending his significant gravitas to a country that has long punched below its weight in the European arena. Ever since Brexit, the European Union has lacked a third power player to counter Paris and Berlin. With Draghi, Italy has a leader that can drag the country into the heart of European affairs — just as German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s departure opens up a space for him as the EU’s de facto leader, on economic affairs at the very least.