The new Italian government of populist five-star movement and Social Democrats (PD) is to be sworn in on Thursday. This was announced by the office of President Sergio Matterella following a meeting of the President with Prime Minister-designate Giuseppe Conte. After that, both chambers of parliament must express their confidence in the government.
The cast of important posts in the Cabinet were also announced:
- The leader of the populist five-star movement Luigi di Maio becomes foreign minister .
- Minister of the Interior becomes top civil servant Luciana Lamorgese . She replaces the hardliner Matteo Salvini, whose right leg has left the government.
- Economic and Finance Minister is the PD politician and former MEP Roberto Gualtieri .
On Tuesday, the Five Stars had cleared a major obstacle on the way to the new government: in an online vote, about 79 percent of the participating members spoke in favor of an alliance with the former political opponent, with the stars in the past fierce Had delivered arguments.
Conte was Prime Minister since June 2018, head of a coalition of stars and right-wing Lega, which broke in August. On August 20, Conte resigned, but remained in office managing. The stars insisted in their talks with the PD that Conte Premier must remain.
Mattarella commissioned Conte with the formation of a new government last Thursday. It would be the 66th Italian Government since the founding of the Republic in 1946.
Salvini, who calls for new elections since the coalition broke, has already announced a tough opposition. "I will move from city to city, and we will get back the land," he said, according to the news agency Ansa. He described the new party alliance of PD and five stars as "losers and armchair glue held together by the glue of hate for Salvini."
