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Rome (AP) - The search for a new government in Italy continues to be tough.
The parties that have been co-governing so far insist on their demands.
Several meetings with the President of the Chamber of Deputies, Roberto Fico, who, on behalf of Head of State Sergio Mattarella, is to examine a majority for the current government, have not changed this.
Giuseppe Conte as Prime Minister is out of the question, emphasized the interim head of the populist five-star movement (M5S), Vito Crimi, afterwards.
They have also called for issues such as the retrieval of funds from the euro rescue fund (ESM), on which no agreement is in prospect, to be set aside.
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A nod to the Italia Viva party of the former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi: He had asked to apply for the ESM funds, but failed because of the resistance of the M5S and, among other things, withdrew from the coalition with his small party on January 13th.
It was the beginning of the government crisis, which culminated in the resignation of Giuseppe Conte last Tuesday.
Renzi emphasized on Saturday that he was ready for discussions, including about the ESM.
After their conversation, the Social Democrats (PD) called on all those involved to work constructively on a plan for the legislature, which will normally run until 2023.
The PD delegation had presented an agenda on Italy's most pressing problems, as had the politicians of the M5S.
The Italia Viva also demanded that the plans of the possibly coming government be agreed in writing in a document.
The soundings have been running since Wednesday.
Mattarella had recognized in the discussions with the parties that there could be a majority of the parties that had supported the previous government.
On Friday, the 79-year-old finally set the course for a third cabinet under Giuseppe Conte.
Fico should now explore that.
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Within the party, there were already initial disputes on Friday.
The Five Star Movement (M5S) had said “yes” to a pact between the old political forces - including the Italia Viva, which had brought down Conte's government.
However, M5S politician Alessandro Di Battista and, according to media reports, ten others clashed and threatened to quit.
The problem: In order for the government to be stable, as demanded by Mattarella, there must be a stable absolute majority in both chambers of parliament and, above all, in the Senate.
The Italia Viva tipped the scales in the smaller chamber until it left.
Without them a majority from the parties of the center-left spectrum is unlikely to come about.
Fico is due to present the results of his talks to Mattarella by Tuesday.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210130-99-237642 / 2
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Tweet collection around the government search (Italian)
Post Alessandro Di Battista (Italian)