Conte to wind up govt talks with parties

(ANSA) - Rome, August 30 - Premier-designate Giuseppe Conte will wind up his consultations with political parties Friday for the formation of his second government, backed by the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S) and the centre-left Democratic Party (PD).
    Conte will end a whirlwind round of talks by seeing the far-right Brothers of Italy (FdI), Nicola Zingaretti's PD, Silvio Berlusconi's centre-right Forza Italia (FI), and Luigi D1 Maio's M5S.
    He will also see the League, but without leader Matteo Salvini, the outgoing interior minister who pulled the plug on the M5S-League government August 8 before quickly regretting it.
    Salvini has called a rally against the M5S-PD government on October 19 in Rome.
    The initiative has split the centre right, with FdI saying it will take to the streets the day of the confidence vote in the new government and FI cool about the idea.
    Accepting with the usual 'reservations' the government formation mandate from President Sergio Mattarella Thursday, Conte promised "novelties".
    Potential hurdles still facing the new executive are Di Maio's insistence on keeping the deputy premier's job and the M5S's determination to put any government accord to a vote on its online platform Rousseau.
    The M5S and the PD are split on candidates for the various ministries.
    They are also divided on a number of key issues ranging from Europe to a minimum wage and a high-speed rail (TAV) link from Turin to Lyon - the excuse Salvini used to pull the plug on the M5S-League government.
    The new executive is set to frame the 2020 budget bill averting a swingeing VAT hike, and cut the number of MPs and Senators from 945 to 600.
    Conte is expected to present his list of minister to Mattarella by mid-week after which the new government will face confidence tests in parliament.