- Title: Italians doubtful new coalition will last
- Date: 29th August 2019
- Summary: ROME, ITALY (AUGUST 29, 2019) (REUTERS) EXTERIORS OF QUIRINALE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE EUROPEAN UNION AND ITALIAN FLAGS WAVING ON BALCONY DETAIL OF FLAG CAR CARRYING ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER GIUSEPPE CONTE LEAVING QUIRINALE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) BOLZANO RESIDENT, DINO PENASA, SAYING: "I am happy, I think he (League leader Matteo Salvini) broke up with the wrong person (Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte) to govern this country. Now I hope they can form a government that is up to the task." (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) VERONA RESIDENT, RICCARDO ANOARDO, SAYING: "I'm not very sure because 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." (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) REGGIO EMILIA RESIDENT, DONATELLA, SAYING: "Obviously I hope they will go on to solve problems. I am glad they reached an agreement but I hope now it could solve 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." (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) ROME RESIDENT, ELIANA CAVALLONE, SAYING: "I think this agreement is a bad thing because they have hated each other for a long time and now they are forging an alliance. I don't think it's a clever thing." CARS DRIVING ALONG STREET IN CENTRAL ROME EUROPEAN UNION AND ITALIAN FLAGS WAVING ON BALCONY VIEW OF STREET IN CENTRAL ROME WITH COLUMN IN THE BACKGROUND CARS DRIVING ALONG STREET IN CENTRAL ROME
- 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: LVA001AU9TXL3
- 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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