Italy edges closer to new government
Sceptics ask how 5-Star can work with left-wing party after right-wing partnership
Two Italian political parties have agreed to try to form a new coalition government, putting aside past rivalry to forestall an election that could put right-wing nationalist Matteo Salvini in power as premier.
Luigi di Maio, the leader of the populist 5-Star Movement, said he had informed Italy’s President of his party’s potential partnership with the opposition Democratic Party that would see Giuseppe Conte return as prime minister.
Many analysts have said a government made up of such bitter political foes wasn’t likely to last long, in all probability only delaying the election Salvini wants to snag the premiership for himself.
Conte resigned a week ago after Salvini’s League party, the 5-Star’s previous governing partner, bolted from their long-squabbling coalition.
Di Maio said he told the President the Movement’s deal with the Democrats called for “Conte to again be premier and try to form a new government”.
Referring to a tweet on Wednesday by United States President
Donald Trump praising Conte, Di Maio said: “Trump’s endorsement yesterday shows that we’re on the right path.”
Italian President Sergio Mattarella must decide if an alliance between the anti-establishment 5-Star and the centre-left Democrats can produce a viable majority in Parliament, where Conte would have to win a vote of confidence in both chambers to again be premier.
Di Maio brushed off sceptics who have questioned how the 5-Star Movement could agree to partner with a right-wing party last year and one on the left now.
The Movement is “postideological”, Di Maio said. “There no longer exist arrangements on the left and the right but only solutions.”
If Mattarella isn’t convinced Conte can lead a productive government with staying power, he can call an election.