The resigned Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte supports the efforts of Prime Minister-designate Mario Draghi to form a government in Rome, but does not want to join his planned new cabinet. The non-party lawyer Conte, who had led Italy as prime minister from June 2018, was reportedly under discussion as a possible new foreign minister.
Conte, who was proposed as prime minister by the five-star movement in June 2018, signaled a willingness to join the populist group. He advised the movement to support a possible Draghi government. „This is not the time for self-isolation, the interests of the country are now priority,“ said Conte last night.
The five-star movement is the strongest single party in parliament and occupies a third of the parliamentary seats. The question of support for the Draghi government is an acid test for the ailing party.
Criticism of the Renzi party
Conte was concerned about the possible entry of the right-wing populist Lega into a government alliance around Draghi. In addition, the 56-year-old criticized a possible entry of the splinter party Italia Viva into the government majority, which Draghi is supposed to support.
„We will not forget who turned their backs on us,“ said the resigned prime minister, alluding to Italia-Viva boss Matteo Renzi, who left the government coalition that supported the Conte II cabinet until January in the dispute over EU aid would have. With that the Conte cabinet collapsed.
