The President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella, granted, Thursday, August 22, a few days of delay to the political parties, the time to enable them to carry out the consultations necessary for the eventual formation of a new coalition government.
Speaking after two days of consultations at the Quirinal Palace, Sergio Mattarella recalled that the political crisis in Italy required a speedy resolution.
Despite this urgency, he gave political leaders until Tuesday, August 27 to find ways to reach an agreement and avoid early elections, an option that should not be taken lightly, he said.
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"I will hold further consultations Tuesday to make the necessary decisions," said the head of state recalling that the outcome could only be a government with a program that has "the confidence of Parliament."
Sergio Mattarella explained that he took this decision at the request of some leaders of political parties who told him that they were working on a compromise to avoid a return to voters.
Salvini ready for a new agreement with the M5S
The scenario of early parliamentary elections has been favored by Interior Minister Matteo Salvini and his far-right party, the League, who are counting on their current popularity to try to win the majority and govern the country alone. .
In the face of resistance from other political parties, Matteo Salvini said on Thursday that he was ready to come to terms with his former coalition partner, the 5-star Movement (M5S, anti-system) if he adopted a more constructive attitude towards to the League.
This outstretched hand was not immediately seized by the M5S, winner of the general elections of 2018. The anti-system training, which has seen its audience shrink considerably in public opinion for a little over a year, is in talks with his old enemy, the Democratic Party (PD, center-left), to form a new coalition of government.
"In the last few hours, all the necessary contacts have been made to find a solid (parliamentary) majority," Luigi di Maio told reporters after meeting President Mattarella.
The Democratic Party sets its conditions
Nicola Zingaretti, leader of the Democratic Party, the main opposition parliamentary group, reiterated on Thursday that he would support efforts to form a government.
He reiterated the five conditions set for a possible alliance with the 5 Star Movement: loyalty to the European Union, respect for representative democracy, priority for the environment in economic development, new policy for migrants and new economic policy.
"We do not want a government at all costs, but a government breaking with a large majority," he said on Twitter. Otherwise, he adds, Italy will have to return to the polls.
The political crisis was triggered on August 8 by Matteo Salvini who ruled that the coalition formed in June 2018 with the M5S no longer needed to be and that the Italians should return to the polls.
Since the formation of this new tandem, the internal balance of forces has totally reversed, and Salvini, whose League is measured around 34-39% in the voting intentions, hopes to be able, thanks to a return to urns, to rule alone or with the contribution of its former allies of Forza Italia and Fratelli d'Italia.
With Reuters