5-Star, League struggle:

Italy’s anti-establishment 5-Star Movement and far-right League faced stark differences over both policies and personalities on Tuesday as they held a sixth day of talks to create a coalition government.

More than 10 weeks after inconclusive elections, the two political rivals had been expected to tell President Sergio Mattarella on Monday that they had a government deal and to reveal the identity of their pick for prime minister.

Instead, they asked for more time to hammer out an accord, which is expected to include promises of tax cuts, increased welfare handouts and a roll back of an unpopular pension reform — measures that could run foul of European budget rules.

“Where there is a bit of disagreement is whether we should be more or less aggressive over the economic numbers and our ambitions,” said Claudio Borghi, the League’s economics chief, who has taken part in the negotiations with 5-Star.

However, three sources within 5-Star, which was founded in 2009 and has no experience of national government, said the main stumbling point remained who should head the administration.

League leader Matteo Salvini and 5-Star chief Luigi Di Maio have both agreed to drop their own ambitions to be prime minister and are looking for a candidate from outside their parties to head the government and enact their programme. (RTRS)