Conte to seek parliament's backing

(ANSA) - ROME, JAN 15 - Premier Giuseppe Conte is set to seek the backing of parliament next week after his coalition government was plunged into crisis by the withdrawal of the centrist Italia Viva (IV) party.
    Conte is set to address the Lower House on Monday and the Senate on Tuesday.
    Confidence votes are expected to follow each address and Conte looks set to need the support of so-far unidentified 'responsible' lawmakers from outside the ruling coalition for his government to survive.
    IV leader and ex-premier Matteo Renzi said he does not expect the government to find enough 'responsible' MPs to pass the confidence tests, especially in the Senate.
    "We won't vote in favour of giving the government our confidence and if they do not have the numbers, another government will be formed," said Renzi, who split over the government's COVID-19 Recovery Plan and the failure to take European Stability Mechanism funds to invest in the health system, among other things.
    The two senior partners in the ruling coalition, the 5-Star Movement (M5S) and the centre-left Democratic Party (PD), have ruled out patching things up with Renzi, saying IV has proven itself to be unreliable.
    The centre-right opposition is calling for snap elections.
    League leader Matteo Salvini said a government that is "minestrone" mix of different elements and just treads water is not good for Italy.
    He also said he does not expect any defectors to leave the centre right to keep the government afloat, saying the opposite is more likely.
    "Lots of serious M5S people are knocking at our door," said Salvini.
    "I see more people joining the centre right than leaving".
    (ANSA).