Premier-designate Giuseppe Conte
will wind up his consultations with political parties Friday for
the formation of his second government, backed by the
anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S) and the centre-left
Democratic Party (PD).
Conte will end a whirlwind round of talks by seeing the
far-right Brothers of Italy (FdI), Nicola Zingaretti's PD,
Silvio Berlusconi's centre-right Forza Italia (FI), and Luigi D1
Maio's M5S.
He will also see the League, but without leader Matteo
Salvini, the outgoing interior minister who pulled the plug on
the M5S-League government August 8 before quickly regretting it.
Salvini has called a rally against the M5S-PD government on
October 19 in Rome.
The initiative has split the centre right, with FdI saying it
will take to the streets the day of the confidence vote in the
new government and FI cool about the idea.
Accepting with the usual 'reservations' the government
formation mandate from President Sergio Mattarella Thursday,
Conte promised "novelties".
Potential hurdles still facing the new executive are Di
Maio's insistence on keeping the deputy premier's job and the
M5S's determination to put any government accord to a vote on
its online platform Rousseau.
The M5S and the PD are split on candidates for the various
ministries.
They are also divided on a number of key issues ranging from
Europe to a minimum wage and a high-speed rail (TAV) link from
Turin to Lyon - the excuse Salvini used to pull the plug on the
M5S-League government.
The new executive is set to frame the 2020 budget bill
averting a swingeing VAT hike, and cut the number of MPs and
Senators from 945 to 600.
Conte is expected to present his list of minister to
Mattarella by mid-week after which the new government will face
confidence tests in parliament.
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