M5S League 'closure' development for PD

(ANSA) - Rome, April 24 - Caretaker Democratic Party (PD) leader Maurizio Martina said Tuesday that it was a "development" for the centre-left group if 5-Star Movement (M5S) chief Luigi Di Maio has closed off the option of forming a government with the rightwing, Euroskeptic League.
    Martina was speaking after consultations with Lower House Speaker Roberto Fico, who was given an exploratory mandate by President Sergio Mattarella on Monday to see if it is possible to form an M5S-PD government.
    Martina said the party's 'directorate' body will decide what to do. The PD, which led the last three Italian governments, had previously pledged to stay in opposition after registering its worst-ever showing in last-month's inconclusive general election.
    "With a spirit of loyal collaboration, not hiding the differences and different starting points, also from a policy standpoint on essential issues, we vow to examine this possible course of work involving our leadership groups," Martina said after meeting Fico, an M5S member. He said the PD expected "answers on PD priorities" adding that any dialogue with the M5S would focus on "Europe, public accounts and democracy" Martina said the national directorate "must be called to assess, examine, discuss and possibly deliberate a new course that involves us".
    Last week Senate Speaker Maria Elisabetta Casellati failed to make a breakthrough with a similar exploratory mandate. Casellati's mandate involved verifying the possibility of forming a government made up of the centre right, the coalition that came first in last month's inconclusive general election, and the M5S, the biggest single party in the new parliament.
    Di Maio appeared to meet the PD's first condition when he slammed the door on the League on Tuesday.
    He said that League leader Matteo Salvini has "condemned himself to irrelevance" for refusing to meet the anti-establishment group's demand that he drop his centre-right alliance partners to make a government-formation agreement possible. Di Maio said that option of the M5S ruling with the whole centre right, including Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia, was a path that could not be taken, after consultations Fico. He said the M5S was ready to open talks with the PD despite "profound differences". The M5S has frequently vilified the PD, which has led the last three Italian governments but had said it would be in the opposition after registering its worst-ever showing in last month's inconclusive general election. Di Maio said it was necessary to "put the national interest at the centre" of talks and focus on issues.