- Title: Italians doubtful new coalition will last
- Date: 29th August 2019
- Summary: DAILY NEWSPAPER 'LA REPUBBLICA' WITH HEADLINE READING (Italian): "COME ON CONTE, IT IS GONNA BE TOUGH"
- Embargoed: 12th September 2019 11:49
- Keywords: 5-Star Movement Speaker of Senate Maria Elisabetta Alberti Casellati Giuseppe Conte Luigi Di Maio President Sergio Mattarella government crisis Democratic Party Italian politics Nicola Zingaretti
- Location: ROME, ITALY
- City: ROME, ITALY
- Country: Italy
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA003AU9TXL3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING EDITS ARE AVAILABLE: FILE EDIT OF CONTE: 3057-ITALY-POLITICS/FILE
CONTE SPEECH AFTER MEETING THE PRESIDENT: 4123-ITALY-POLITICS/CONTE-UPDATE
CONTE MEETING PRESIDENT (STILLS): 4117-ITALY-POLITICS/CONTE
Italians were doubtful that a new government will last after president on Thursday (August 29) asked Giuseppe Conte to head a coalition of the 5-Star Movement and opposition Democratic Party (PD), a move could that could mark a turning point in Italy's frayed relations with the European Union.
President Sergio Mattarella handed Conte a fresh mandate to form a cabinet barely a week after the low-key lawyer had resigned following a decision by the far-right League party to pull out of its coalition with 5-Star.
The move by its leader Matteo Salvini, who had wanted early elections to capitalise on his party's success in European elections, appeared to have backfired as 5-Star and the PD set aside their mutual antipathy to form a government.
But Italians had little faith in this unusual alliance, the latest move in the revolving-door of Italian politics.
"I don't think they will last long because the differences are obvious and I think there are huge differences in the political programmes of the two parties", Verona resident Riccardo Anoardo told Reuters.
Others, however, were relieved to have a solution to the crisis, and hoped that it would quickly resolve the country's problems.
"I believe that Salvini was, from all points of view, a failure for what he did and clearly he chose the wrong time to blow everything up," said Reggio Emilia resident Donatella.
Markets have been buoyed by the prospects of a quick end to a three week political crisis. Italy's 10-year borrowing costs fell to an all-time low at auction on Thursday as investors hailed news that early elections have been avoided.
However, the incoming coalition still needs to agree a shared policy platform and team of ministers. In a further complication, 5-Star has said it will put any deal with the PD to an online vote of its members. Many 5-Star supporters oppose a pact with the centre-left and a 'yes' vote is not a certainty.
(Production: Carmelo Camilli, Matteo Berlenga, Fabiano Franchitti, Emily Roe) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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