(ANSA) - Rome, March 14 -- Rightwing populist leader Matteo Salvini said Wednesday that he did not have any prejudices against anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S) leader Luigi Di Maio.
Salvini said Wednesday that he was open to proposals on forming a new government while reiterating that the idea of teaming up with the Democratic Party (PD) was off the table. "I strongly feel the duty to stay true to the mandate of the 12 million people who chose the centre right and the almost six million who chose the League," Salvini told the foreign press association in Rome.
"We are working to give a government to this country with a centre-right programme open to enrichment, contributions and proposals, but not turned on its head.
"It would be disrespectful to involve those who lost the election and, therefore, I say no to any government that has (outgoing Premier Paolo) Gentiloni, (Cabinet Secretary Maria Elena) Boschi and (Interior Minister Marco) Minniti at the centre". Salvini's League is the biggest party in the centre-right alliance that came first in the election, winning around 37% of the vote.
The anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S) is the biggest single party in the new parliament after winning over 32% of the vote.
The centre-left PD, which led the three governments of the last parliamentary term, is reeling after getting under 20%.