Now it's up to the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, to decide but - in the last meeting at the Quirinale - both the leader of the Five Stars, Luigi Di Maio, that that of the League, Matteo Salvini, were clear: “Our leading candidate is Giuseppe Conte“, professor of private law at the University of Florence and technician of the Five Star area but already targeted by the international press for his curriculum.
Di Maio, perhaps with a little sense of guilt for the unjustified criticisms addressed in the past to Prime Ministers not directly elected by the people, but fully empowered by the Constitution, such as Mario Monti and Matteo Renzi, insisted on saying that the profile of the new candidate for prime minister is "political". In reality, nobody elected Conte and, in any case, the floor is now with Mattarella who not only has the last word on the premier but also on the ministers who will make up the new government formation. And the fact that the Head of State did not immediately entrust the task to Conte signals that there is some perplexity, not so much about the person but about the fact that he does not have the political strength to exercise his role independently and ends up being a premier halved.
Mattarella took note of the Lega and Cinque Stelle proposal but did not make any statements. At this point the next few hours will be decisive but everything suggests that the office of premier will go to Conte, even because the soaring spread, the warnings of the international rating agencies and the criticisms raining down on the nascent yellow-green government from Brussels and the main European capitals do not allow for too much delay. If anything, these elements raise the question of the appointment of the guide of the Ministry of Economy that the Northern League would like to assign to Paolo Savona whose Eurosceptic positions however leave the Head of State very perplexed.
In any case, the leader of the League, Matteo Salvini, confirmed that his political side indicated to the President both the name of the premier and the entire team and the project for the country but above all he responded to the criticisms rained down on the government from abroad yellow-green arguing that “There is nothing to fear because we put the interest of Italians at the center with an eye to work, safety, tax reduction and precariousness but respecting all the rules” and that “from abroad they will have to change their minds”. However, Salvini specified, "our economic policies will be very different from the past" which created or increased public debt. “We are ready and our program has solid roots”concluded the leader of the League.
Before the League, the President of the Republic met with representatives of the 5 Star Movement. In addition to Di Maio, the group leaders of the Chamber and Senate, Giulia Grillo and Danilo Toninelli, and the party's head of communication, Rocco Casalino, were present at the meeting.
"Conte will be prime minister of the political government“said Di Maio after leaving the Quirinale. "We have indicated to the President of the Republic the name that we believe can carry out the government contract".
“I think today we can say that we are facing an historic moment – declared the leader of the M5s at the end of the conversation with Mattarella – We have indicated the name to the President of the Republic who can carry out the government contract”, that is Giuseppe Conte.
“Obviously our goal was and is to improve the quality of life of Italians and in these 80 days we have imposed a method: first we discussed topics and then names. The issues of the Italians come first of all – added the grillino political leader -. I am proud to have brought our electoral program to the government, there are 5 stars, there are our 20 points. We are fully satisfied with the work over the next few days, we hope that this new path for the Republic can begin. It's been 80 days where it was worth taking time because finally the third Republic is born”.
"The government contract contains the five stars, the twenty points indicated in the electoral campaign and many solutions to the suffering of Italians, from basic income to the Fornero law - concluded Di Maio - to more budgetary spaces in Europe, from the fight against gambling, passing good school, healthcare, with meritocracy for those in charge of hospitals. There are the great historical battles of the M5s, such as public water".
Both the Democratic Party and Forza Italia have in any case judged Conte's technical candidacy very critically and announced that they will wage a tough opposition battle in Parliament.
