Consultations on new govt kick off

(ANSA) - Rome, April 4 - President Sergio Mattarella is starting a round of formal political consultations on Wednesday after this month's inconclusive general election.
    The talks will help the Head of State made a decision on to whom to give a mandate to try to form a new government.
    The anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S) says it should lead the next government as it is the biggest single group in the new parliament after winning around 32% of the vote.
    But the anti-migrant, Euroskeptic League says it should be top dog as the lead party of the centre right, the biggest coalition with around 37% of the vote.
    The talks kick off with new Senate Speaker Elisabetta Casellati, followed Lower House Speaker Roberto Fico and Mattarella's predecessor as president, Giorgio Napolitano.
    Then there will be talks with political representatives of autonomous regions, the 'mixed group' that features members of the leftwing Free and Equal (LeU) group, and with the rightwing Brothers of Italy (FdI) party.
    The consultations will continue on Thursday with talks with the centre-left Democratic Party (PD), which is reeling after its poor showing in the election, Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia, the League and the M5S.