“Based on the result of the elections, no one has a majority and there are three sides in Parliament. Agreements are therefore essential to give life to a coalition, but a majority or a solution in this sense has not yet emerged." This is the summary of the first round of consultations at the Quirinale held by the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella. Consequently, the head of state announced that there will be "a few days of reflection" and that next week he will start a new round of consultations.
Nonetheless, today was a particularly intense day for the declarations of all the main Leaders.
LUIGI DI MAIO
Luigi Di Maio opens to an agreement with the League or with the Democratic Party, but reiterates the No to Berlusconi, proposing in parallel a government contract on the German model.
"After the work of dialogue with all the groups - said Luigi Di Maio at the end of the consultations - we believe that a contract to secure a government for the Italians. The M5s can sign it with the League or with the Democratic Party – continues the head of the Movement -. Of course there are two alternative solutions, I want to clarify it. For this reason, I will immediately ask for a meeting with Salvini and Martina to work on the structuring of these contracts".
DiMaio explained: “We don't want to split the Democratic Party, nor the center-right coalition but we do not recognize a centre-right coalition, because not only did they go to the elections with three candidates for prime minister, but because they prepared for the elections separately. And one of these forces does not recognize the M5s, so we are turning to the League". Finally, the premier candidate of the 5 Star Movement said No to a "very government" involving all the main parties in the country.
MATTEO SALVINI
“It was a positive meeting in which we expressed a constructive line. Many have come here to say no. We in Mattarella have offered yes. More than the roles we are interested in the programs - labor reform, pensions, autonomy - I will continue to listen to everyone, starting from the center-right alliance but involving the five stars. We would like this country to be governed for five years." These are the statements made by the leader of the League Matteo Salvini at the end of the conversation with the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella.
A day of intense consultations for the Head of State, which began with the representatives of the Democratic Party, continued with those of Forza Italia and Lega.
Silvio Berlusconi
If Matteo Salvini has in fact chosen to maintain a "more institutional" profile, leaving the door open to dialogue, the number one dthe Silvio Berlusconis has taken the opposite path: the government "will have to start from whoever won the elections, that is the center-right and from the leader of the winning coalition, that is the League". “We are not available – continued the former Knight at the end of the conversation with Mattarella – for a government made up of pauperisms and justicialisms and populisms and hatred that would trigger a recessionary spiral and high taxes with chain failures also in the banking sector”. “We are available with high-profile presence for serious and credible solutions in Europe. We are willing to talk about this." "We need a government", highlighted Berlusconi, to address the country's emergencies. No names, but the reference is all the same very clear: Berlusconi returned tit for tat to the political leader of the 5 Star Movement, Luigi Di Maio who in recent days had repeatedly reiterated his No to a majority that included Forza Italia, confident of the possibility to separate the two center-right leaders, embarking on the future government - led by him - only Salvini.
MAURICE MARTINA
The Pd also confirmed the announced position: “The electoral outcome is negative for us – he declared Maurizio Martina – does not allow us to formulate government hypotheses that concern us”.
"Whoever wins the elections bears the responsibility” to govern, concluded the regent secretary of the Democratic Party.
(Update at 17.39 on 5 April)
