Right-wing parties to insist they are best placed to lead Italy

ITALY’S three main Rightist parties yesterday vowed to present a united front in a fresh round of talks to form a new government, following last month’s inconclusive election.

The Northern League, Brothers of Italy and Silvio Berlusconi’s Forza Italia group won the biggest bloc of seats but the vote, on March 4, saw antiestablishment Five Star Movement emerge as the largest single party.

President Sergio Mattarella wrapped up an initial round of consultations on Thursday and promised to try to put together a new government.

The leaders of the three Rightist parties – the League’s Matteo Salvini, Mr Berlusconi and Brothers of Italy’s Giorgia Meloni – met yesterday to agree on a common message to present to Mr Mattarella.

“Almost 40 per cent of Italians have chosen to give their trust to the centreright parties, which today, without a doubt, have the task of forming a government,” the three said in a joint statement. The centre-right coalition will insist on naming the next prime minister and that the main parts of an election programme agreed before the ballot be respected. These include proposed tax cuts, job incentives and a stop to illegal immigration.

In the first round of consultations, the three Rightist leaders saw Mr Mattarella separately and there has been widespread speculation that Mr Salvini will ditch Mr Berlusconi to forge a pact with Five Star.

Five Star leader Luigi Di Maio has said he was happy to work with either the League or the outgoing centre-left Democratic Party (PD), a proposal so far rejected by both parties.

The PD says it wants to go into opposition, while Mr Salvini has refused to abandon Mr Berlusconi, as Mr Di Maio demands.

Yesterday, Mr Salvini ruled out any possible tie-up with the PD, telling Corriere della Sera that “if there is an attempt to be made, it is with Five Star”.