In the February elections, all of Italy's political parties fell short of the number of parliamentary seats needed to form a government. Despite the resulting political paralysis, the parties must find a way to elect a new president — the mandate of the current president, Giorgio Napolitano, expires May 15. The president holds a largely ceremonial position, but he becomes particularly important in times of crisis because he has the power to dissolve parliament and call for early elections, among other prerogatives. While the president is supposed to be an apolitical figure, the major Italian parties have failed to agree on a candidate, reflecting the profound political fragmentation in the country. However, Italy's constitution calls for as many voting sessions to take place as are needed to elect a candidate — meaning a president eventually will be chosen. Italy's seemingly perennial political fragility is a product of geopolitics.