Full-term govt or elections - Zingaretti

(ANSA) - Rome, August 21 - Centre-left Democratic Party (PD) chief Nicola Zingaretti on Wednesday called for a government fit to last the remaining three years of the legislative term, saying that if that were not possible, a general election was better. Speaking ahead of government consultations with President Sergio Mattarella Thursday, Zingaretti said after a PD summit: "a possible new government must be a turning point, lasting the term, or it is better to go to the polls".
    Mattarella is set to consult all parties on the way forward after Premier Giuseppe Conte resigned after nationalist League leader Matteo Salvini puled the plug on a 14-month alliance with the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S).
    He will talk to the PD and the M5S separately on Thursday and if they both come out in favour of a long-term government he may give the green light to a premier-designate to explore that possibility.
    Zingaretti laid down five points to discuss with the M5S: "loyal membership of the European Union; full recognition of representative democracy, starting from the central role of parliament; development based on environmental sustainability, a change in the management of migrant flows, with Europe as a full protagonist; and a turning point on economic and social recipes, in a redistributive line, which will open a season of investments." It is uncertain whether the M5S will accept these terms.