Italy’s Conte Returns as Premier in Coalition that Cuts out Salvini
Italy’s caretaker Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, who resigned a week ago after the collapse of a populist alliance, was tasked Thursday with forming a government under a new, left-leaning coalition.
The 55-year-old law professor, who remained in office in a caretaker role, was given a mandate by President Sergio Mattarella after being proposed for the post by the anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S) and the centre-left Democratic Party (PD).
Conte said that he would report back to the president “in a few days” to present a draft list of government ministers. Then, if all goes well, he will take part in a swearing-in ceremony, to be followed by parliamentary votes of confidence for the new executive.
It will be “a government of change,” he said in a statement to reporters.
“This is time for a new season, a great new season of reforms, of relaunch, of hope, to give the country some answers and also some certainties,” he added.
Until last week, Conte led an administration backed by a litigious majority comprising the far-right League and the M5S. The government collapsed after League leader Matteo Salvini pulled the plug.
According to the centre-left La Repubblica newspaper, Conte is “unprecedented in the history of Italy, the first head of a right-wing government who seamlessly becomes the head of a left-wing government.”
The premier admitted to having “more than a few doubts” about switching political sides. “I overcame these doubts in the belief that I have always tried to work in the interest of all citizens, nobody excluded,” he said.
Conte has no official party affiliation but is seen as close to M5S. His new government is expected to be less eurosceptic and more moderate on migration than the outgoing one, over which Salvini wielded significant influence.
The executive also faces significant financial challenges: Italy needs to draft a 2020 budget to keep its huge public debt in check and avoid a sharp rise in value-added tax that will kick in automatically in January if no alternative measures are approved.