The head of the 5-star Movement (anti-system) Luigi Di Maio has conditioned Friday the birth of a government in Italy to the implementation of the program of the M5S, on pain of breaking the agreement concluded Wednesday with the Democratic Party (center left). "Our program points are clear, if they do not fit into the government program, we will not be able to start, and then it will be better to return to the polls as soon as possible," Luigi Di Maio said Friday.
"Either we agree to carry it out, or we can not go further," he added, after meeting with the head of the government, Giuseppe Conte. Luigi Di Maio notably rejected a modification of the "security decrees", promulgated by the outgoing Minister of the Interior and his former ally the leader of the sovereignists Matteo Salvini. "The problem of immigration is serious, concrete and it must be confronted with competence in the respect of the sensitivities expressed by the public opinion", he said, aware that a good part of the M5S approves the security hardening promoted by Salvini, during the 14 months of alliance M5S-League.
"Unacceptable" ultimatums
A senior leader of PD Graziano Delrio described Di Maio's ultimatums in Conte as "unacceptable", recalling that the Social Democrats "have pledged to loyally support Giuseppe Conte's efforts" to form a government. Earlier, the boss of the PD, Nicola Zingaretti, had listed to Giuseppe Conte the "main novelties" of a joint program M5S-PD: a lowering of taxes for means and low and wages "to stimulate consumption", a plan for employment, promote the digital economy and the possibility of "making free the training of children from modest families from nursery to university".
Giuseppe Conte, appointed Thursday by President Sergio Mattarella to try to form a government M5S-PD, consulted for two days the different political forces ending Friday by the PD and the M5S with whom he must build a new government team. He is expected to present the government's composition to President Sergio Mattarella by next Tuesday or Wednesday before taking an oath.
Several unknowns remain
In addition to the distribution of ministerial portfolios, several unknowns remain including the assignment of the post of Deputy Prime Minister, Di Maio would like to keep. According to the political scientists, very weakened, "he fights for his survival".
The strategic positions of the Economy and the Interior are also at the heart of the discussions. The Five Stars will also submit the coalition agreement to the vote of their activists on its participatory platform "Rousseau". This online consultation of the 100,000 registered will take place in the coming days, according to the media.
The sovereignist Matteo Salvini had declined the invitation of Giuseppe Conte and sent simple representatives. For the coming months, his battle plan is clear: to campaign to bring down the government and get an election. "In a few months, a year or two of opposition, we will come back," he promised, announcing all-out mobilizations including a "day of Italian pride", on October 19 in Rome.