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.
The PD directorate gave Zingaretti a mandate to open talks to
verify the possibility of "a turning-point government for the
legislative term", marking "discontinuity" with the M5S-League
government.
The motion granting the mandate was approved unanimously.
Zingaretti said "I have never demonised the M5S, but we must
recognise that there are profound differences with them".
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