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Italian President Sergio Mattarella addresses the press following consultations with leaders of political parties in Rome on 22 August 2019. Francesco Ammendola / Presidential Palace / Handout via REUTERS

After two days of interviews with representatives of political parties in the Quirinal Palace, the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella announced that he gave the political parties four days of reflection before a new round of consultations on August 27, at the from which he will draw conclusions and make his decision. The Democratic Party and the 5-star Movement (M5S) have confirmed their intention to form a sustainable parliamentary majority. But the nodes to unravel remain numerous.

With our correspondent in Rome, Anne Le Nir

In concrete terms, three fundamental points separate the Democratic Party from the Five Star Movement.

Italy's European commitment: the leader of the center-left Nicola Zingaretti makes it his top priority. The leader of the unclassifiable 5 star Luigi Di Maio did not mention this theme during his statements.

Immigration: the Democratic Party calls for a review of the anti-migrant laws of Matteo Salvini. The 5 stars do not consider it.

Finally, the Democratic Party is not hot for the adoption of a law on the reduction of the number of parliamentarians. While the 5 stars make it one of their standard bearer.

These and other questions will be the focus of discussions over the next four days. In the absence of a compromise in the name of clarity, the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, will launch the procedures for new elections. " A choice that should not be taken lightly, " he said during his speech after his first round of consultations .