Italy’s president on Wednesday approved the nomination as prime minister of little-known lawyer Giuseppe Conte, who said that he wanted his government to “confirm Italy’s place” in Europe and the rest of the world.
“The President of the Republic has tasked me with the role of forming a government,” Conte said to reporters after leaving a nearly two-hour meeting with President Sergio Mattarella.
Conte must now finalize his cabinet, which has been the subject of days of tough negotiations between the anti-establishment Five Star Movement and the far-right League coalition that makes up the proposed government.
The list of ministerial candidates must then be endorsed by head-of-state Mattarella before it can seek parliamentary approval.
Conte’s appointment could bring an end to more than two months of political uncertainty in the eurozone’s third-biggest economy.
The Five Star-League alliance’s eurosceptic stance has alarmed senior European officials, but Conte sought a more 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,” he said.
“My intent is to give life to a government of the people that looks 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.” – AFP.
