Italian Government totters

Rome: Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte faces a showdown with his coalition partner and former premier Matteo Renzi this week that could bring down his Government as it struggles to contain the Covid19 pandemic.

Longstrained relations between the two men have deteriorated, with Renzi calling for radical changes to plans to reboot the economy and demanding that Conte cede his control over the secret services.

The prime minister has resisted the pressure, saying last week he was prepared to confront Renzi in parliament.

Renzi told Il Messaggero newspaper at the weekend he would not back down and dismissed suggestions that Conte could persuade a limited number of opposition politicians to prop up the government if his small Italia Viva party walked away.

Matters could come to a head at a cabinet meeting expected on Friday. — Reuters