Italy’s populist Five-Star Movement has asked the nation’s president to give caretaker premier Giuseppe Conte the mandate to form a new coalition government, a week after the one he led for 14 months collapsed.
The leader of the anti-establishment Five-Stars spoke to reporters after meeting President Sergio Mattarella at the presidential palace on Wednesday.
Luigi Di Maio said: “We told the president we have reached a deal with the PD that would allow Conte to be the next premier.”
After Mr Conte proposes a list of ministers to the president, both chambers of Italy’s parliament would hold confidence votes on the new government he presents.
The stalemate over who might head it ended on Wednesday when the opposition Democrats agreed to Five-Star demands for a renewed premiership for Mr Conte.
The new coalition, however, risks being highly unstable as the two partners, former arch-enemies, have already started fighting in the last few days over a common platform and the makeup of a Cabinet.
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