Premier Giuseppe Conte was
considering his options on Thursday after ex-premier Matteo
Renzi triggered a government crisis by pulling the support of
his small Italia Viva (IV) party.
IV's two ministers finally resigned on Wednesday after weeks of
threats from the centrist group focused on differences over the
government's COVID-19 Recovery Plan and its failure to take up
the option to obtain around 37 billion euros from the European
Stability Mechanism to invest in the national health system.
As a result Conte's coalition executive, which also had the
backing of the centre-left Democratic Party (PD), the populist
5-Star Movement (M5S) and the left-wing LeU group, does not
appear to have a working majority in parliament.
Conte said IV's move, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic,
had caused "considerable damage" to the country.
The premier Visited President Segio Mattarella to discuss the
situation on Thursday.
Conte told Mattarella he wanted to achieve the necessary
"political clarification" of the crisis by addressing
parliament, the president's office said.
Conte's options include calling a vote in parliament to see if
his executive does have the support of the majority of
lawmakers, perhaps with the backing of some so far unidentified
'responsible' MPs from outside the ruling coalition.
He could also try to form a new government or decide to resign.
The centre-right opposition is demanding snap elections.
Another possibility is the formation of a government led by a
non-political technocrat.
The premier is expected to make a move shortly as Mattarella has
called for the crisis to be brought to a rapid conclusion.
PD sources said that the so-called responsible lawmakers had not
materialised and there was a risk of Italy having to hold
elections in June.
PD leader Nicola Zingaretti ruled out any form of government
agreement involving the centre-right opposition during a party
meeting.
He also said that IV had shown their "political unreliability in
all scenarios".
Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said there was no chance of his
M5S dumping Conte to facilitate a new government featuring IV
and led by a different premier.
"There are some fixed points in this dramatic climate of
uncertainty, in this stormy sea," Di Maio said in a Facebook
post.
"The first is President Sergio Mattarella, who has all our
support for this difficult phase that he will find himself
managing.
"The second is Premier Giuseppe Conte, who we will be loyal
towards and, as the 5-Star Movement, we will support firmly.
"The third solid point is Europe".
Conte has assumed on an interim basis the farm and equal
opportunities ministries, left vacant by IV.
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