Italy's premier designate, Giuseppe Conte, 53, told reporters after meeting the head of state Sunday evening that he had handed back his mandate for forming “the government of change" to president Mattarella. "I can assure you that I did my utmost to try to fulfill this task" he added.
*ITALY'S MATTARELLA: NO ONE CAN SAY I WAS OBSTACLE TO NEW GOVT *MATTARELLA: ONLY FIN MIN PROPOSAL WAS PROBLEMATIC *ITALY'S MATTARELLA SAYS AGREED TO ALL MINISTERS EXCEPT FIN MIN *ITALY'S MATTARELLA: WANTED MINISTER WHO WOULDN'T RISK EURO EXIT *MATTARELLA: EURO MEMBERSHIP FUNDAMENTAL FOR ITALY'S FUTURE
Mattarella, who is supposed to be impartial but appears to have been anything but in this case, and was tasked with naming the premier and ministers, earlier rejected the candidacy of economist Paolo Savona, 81, who has repeatedly urged the Italian government to plan for a euro-exit, and who has criticized what he says is German dominance over Europe.
As a result, and as League leader Salvini said, Italy is now set to vote again.
“I have agreed and accepted all the nominations, except that of the minister of economy,” Mattarella said in a somber, televised speech.
“I asked for that ministry an authoritative political figure from the coalition parties who was not seen as the supporter of a line that could provoke Italy’s exit from the euro,” he added.
League leader Matteo Salvini and 5-Star chief Luigi Di Maio responded angrily, saying the president was acting beyond the powers the constitution assigns to him.
“In a democracy, if we are still in democracy, there’s only one thing to do, let the Italians have their say,” Salvini said in a fiery speech to supporters in central Italy.
“I was informed of the request by the political parties to hold an early election. I will evaluate that request in the coming hours, and I will take an initiative,” Mattarella said.
After speaking, Mattarella summoned former International Monetary Fund senior official Carlo Cottarelli for a Monday morning meeting — an indication he may be considering asking him to head a government of unelected technocrats.
He would be a calming choice for the financial markets, who were spooked by Savona’s criticism of the euro and German economic policy.
Elijah Foster
first for Germany
Mason Moore
We Europeans would just be an easy prey in a multipolar world made of your country and China. We need a stronger union to actively protect our interests from you
Hudson Sanchez
IMPEACH MATTAMERDA
Parker Cooper
Are new elections pretty much certain at this point? If so, for when?
