Italy’s PM tells would-be coalition partners to stop migration squabbles
ITALY’S prime minister has said he is confident that squabbling political parties would set aside their bitter differences over mass migration and security to form a workable coalition this week.
Giuseppe Conte said yesterday in a video address that the centre-left Democratic Party and the populist Five Star movement, until now political rivals, had created a “good working environment”.
Mr Conte said he expected to tell President Sergio Mattarella he was ready to form a government by tomorrow or Wednesday.
“I see a good working atmosphere,” Mr Conte said. “From this point of view, I am absolutely convinced that everyone is willing to set aside the past and concentrate on this important proposal that affects the whole country.”
Mr Conte was asked to form a coalition after the collapse of Italy’s populist coalition last month. Matteo Salvini, the former deputy prime minister and head of the far-right League, has been sidelined and left his position as interior minister last week.
But on Friday the prospect of a deal nearly collapsed when Luigi Di Maio, the Five Star leader, presented a 20-point plan with an ultimatum demanding every one of the proposals be accepted or he would back fresh elections. “Either we are in agreement on carrying through the points of our programme, or we stop here,” Mr Di Maio said.
The talks are understood to have become bogged down over policy differences including security and reducing the number of MPS, while both parties are competing for key cabinet positions.
Mr Di Maio is reportedly reluctant to give up his role as deputy prime minister, a critical issue given that the unaligned Mr Conte is heavily backed by the Five Star Movement. The prime minister even stressed yesterday he was not a member of the populist party.
Roberto D’alimonte, professor of political science at Rome’s Luiss University, told The Daily Telegraph he expected the new coalition to proceed but no one knew how long it would last.
“It might last a few months or last the entire legislature,” he said. “We need a crystal ball.”