- Title: "Italians are hostage", Salvini says as PD, 5-Star make deal
- Date: 28th August 2019
- Summary: ROME, ITALY (AUGUST 28, 2019) (REUTERS) LEADER OF LEAGUE PARTY, MATTEO SALVINI, ARRIVING TO SPEAK TO MEDIA AFTER TALKS WITH ITALIAN PRESIDENT SERGIO MATTARELLA PHOTOGRAPHER (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) LEADER OF LEAGUE PARTY, MATTEO SALVINI, SAYING: "Here we are. According to the ritual, we have been fast, precise, direct and honest to the end with the President of the Republic to whom we have expressed the bewilderment, not of the League but of millions of Italians in the face of the ridiculous show of the 'game of power' that has been going on for days (between Democratic Party and 5-Star Movement)." MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) LEADER OF LEAGUE PARTY, MATTEO SALVINI, SAYING: "(If they had) Dignity (they) would call elections. 'Elections' should be a beautiful word in democracy, sovereignty belongs to the people. Obviously, those who are afraid of the vote could run away for six months or a year but not forever. I wonder what they can offer to Italy, the only thing that unites them, that I have heard these days, is their hatred of the League." PHOTOGRAPHER (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) LEADER OF LEAGUE PARTY, MATTEO SALVINI, SAYING: "The only truth is that 60 million Italians are hostage by a hundred parliamentarians who are looking to cling onto their posts. This is the real truth, it is not democracy, change, environment, welfare, redistribution...there are 100 members of the parliament clinging to their seats." CLOSE UP OF CORAZZIERI HONOUR GUARD SALVINI LEAVING
- Embargoed: 11th September 2019 18:02
- Keywords: 5-Star Movement Giuseppe Conte coalition Luigi Di Maio government crisis League Democratic Party Italian politics Matteo Salvini
- Location: ROME, ITALY
- City: ROME, ITALY
- Country: Italy
- Topics: Lawmaking,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001AU4UQ87
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Leader of Italy's far-right League party Matteo Salvini on Wednesday (August 28) said that Italians were being "held hostage" after the 5-Star Movement and the opposition Democratic Party (PD) said they would try to form a coalition.
The previous coalition made up of 5-Star and the League collapsed this month when Salvini withdrew from the alliance hoping to trigger an early election and cash in on his surging popularity.
But his move backfired when Conte refused to resign immediately, giving 5-Star and the PD time to try to overcome their fierce mutual animosity and agree to form a government that had previously appeared impossible.
"The only thing that unites them...is their hatred of the League," Salvini said bitterly after meeting President Sergio Mattarella in an effort to convince him to call elections.
5-Star and the PD still need to agree on a shared policy platform and team of ministers, but 5-Star chief Luigi Di Maio and his PD counterpart Nicola Zingaretti said they had committed to find common ground for the good of the country.
(Production: Carmelo Camilli, Fabiano Franchitti, Emily Roe) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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