President Sergio Mattarella on Wednesday approved Guisseppe Conte’s nomination as the prime minister of Italy of a government formed by the Five Star Movement and the anti-immigrant League, to break more than two months of political deadlock.
Conte, 53, a virtually unknown lawyer next move is to form a cabinet. His appointment put an end to the political impasse in the eurozone’s third-biggest economy.
Five Star member Conte said he would present his cabinet line-up within “the next few days”.
The list of ministerial candidates must be endorsed by Mattarella before it can seek parliamentary approval. Italian media reported that League chief Matteo Salvini would become the interior minister while Five Star leader Luigi Di Maio would be in charge of the economic development ministry.
“The President of the Republic has tasked me with the role of forming a government,” Conte told reporters on Wednesday evening after a nearly two-hour meeting with President Mattarella.
The 53-year-old sought a conciliatory tone towards Europe when speaking to journalists at the presidential Quirinal palace. “I’m aware of the necessity to confirm Italy’s place, both in Europe and internationally,” said Conte, who cast himself as the “people’s lawyer”.
“My intent is to give life to a government of the people that look after their interests. I’m ready to defend the interests of Italians in Europe and internationally, maintaining dialogue with European institutions and representatives of other countries.”
