Italy awaits decision on deal to avoid snap elections

ROME: Italy was awaiting a decision from right-wing leader Matteo Salvini on whether to join a lastditch attempt to form a government and avoid snap elections that would be focused on membership of the euro zone.

Salvini, the head of the League, has said he would “seriously consider” an offer on Wednesday from 5-Star leader Luigi Di Maio to resurrect their bid to govern together.

The first effort by the two largest anti-establishment forces was torpedoed on Sunday when President Sergio Mattarella rejected their candidate for economy minister – 81- year- old economist Paolo Savona, who has spoken out forcefully against the single currency.

Mattarella then appointed a former International Monetary Fund official, Carlo Cottarelli, to form a stop-gap government of experts to lead the country to snap elections. But Cottarelli has so far failed to form a viable Cabinet.

Di Maio, whose 5-Star emerged from the inconclusive March 4 elections as the largest single party, urged Salvini to drop his insistence on Savona for the economy portfolio and agree to give him another post in the next government.

“Di Maio – Salvini: the Final Deal,” was the headline in Corriere della Sera newspaper, echoing the national feeling of crisis put into a holding pattern.

Salvini cancelled his scheduled appointments in northern Italy to fly to Rome and was expected to have a private meeting with Di Maio, a political source said.