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Italy could have a government by Monday

Italian anti-establishment and far-right leaders met on Friday to hash out a deal over a joint government that could be announced as soon as Sunday.

Published: 11 May 2018 17:26 CEST
Italy could have a government by Monday
Matteo Salvini (L) and Luigi Di Maio. Photos: Filippo Monteforte/Alberto Pizzoli/AFP

Matteo Salvini, leader of the nationalist League, told reporters after meeting head of Five Star Movement (M5S) Luigi Di Maio at the lower house Chamber of Deputies that their aim was to reach an agreement “as soon as possible”.

Di Maio then revealed upon leaving the chamber that the pair would meet in Milan on Saturday to continue talks over a “German-style” government contract, which he hopes to sign “as soon as possible”.

They could report on the progress of their talks as early as Sunday to President Sergio Mattarella, who could then nominate the new prime minister on Monday. That person is unlikely to be either Salvini or Di Maio.

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Italian media report that both parties agree on rolling back increases to the age of retirement, while the M5S is willing to follow the League's hardline anti-immigration policies.

Salvini and Di Maio are also willing to make compromises over their flagship policies – the League's drastic drop in taxes and the M5S's universal basic income – which look tricky to reconcile in the eurozone's second most indebted country.

On Thursday Di Maio's political advisor Vincenzo Spadafora emphasised the M5S's desire for Italy “to stay in the euro and in Europe,” despite wanting to rediscuss “some treaties”.

The EU is one of Salvini's favourite targets, with the 44-year-old making alliances across Europe with other anti-union figures like Viktor Orban and Marine La Pen. 

READ ALSO: What's stopping Italy's two leading parties from forming a government?

ACROSS EUROPE

German, Italian and Austrian presidents make joint call for strong Europe

The presidents of Germany, Italy and Austria called for a strong and united Europe in a joint letter published over the weekend ahead of June's European elections.

Published: 13 May 2024 09:50 CEST
German, Italian and Austrian presidents make joint call for strong Europe

The joint letter was carried in the Italian daily Corriere della Sera a month before the June 6-9 elections, where far-right parties are expected to do well.

“We see that the fundamental values—our values—of pluralism, human rights, and the Rule of Law are being challenged, if not openly threatened, all over the world,” wrote the three leaders.

“At stake here is none other than the foundations of our democratic order.”

Although they all hold largely ceremonial roles, the presidents are all tasked with ensuring respect for their countries’ constitutions.

“It is therefore essential to defend democratic institutions and values, the guarantees of freedom, the independence of the media, the role of democratic political oppositions, the separation of powers, the value of limits to the exercise of power,” wrote Italy’s Sergio Mattarella, Germany’s Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Austria’s Alexander van der Bellen.

In Italy, the far-right Brothers of Italy party is in first place and credited with 27 percent in polls — while in Germany, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) is at 15 percent in second place behind the main centre-right party.

In Austria, The Freedom Party (FPO) is also expected to make gains.

While Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni — head of the Brothers of Italy — is staunchly pro-NATO and pro-Kyiv, other far-right parties such Matteo Salvini’s League and Marine Le Pen’s National Rally in France are accused of being pro-Russian.

The three presidents said more European unity was necessary to confront those “who question basic democratic principles”.

“Our liberal democratic order is deeply intertwined with the unification of Europe: by anchoring ourselves to a European community of values and legal norms, we have presented to the world a coexistence based on democratic order and peace,” they said.

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