Italian PM Giuseppe Conte resigns in split over Covid response

Rome: Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has officially stepped down in order to try to form a government with wider support, and the consultations with the parties with a view to finding a new parliamentary majority started on Wednesday afternoon, according to the official statement from the presidential palace.

The president of the republic has decided to invite the government to remain in charge to handle the current affairs. 

The centrist coalition government was plunged into crisis two weeks ago when former PM Matteo Renzi pulled his small, liberal Italia Viva party out of it. He said he would only return if Conte accepted a list of demands.

Conte survived a vote of confidence in the lower house, the Chamber of Deputies, last week. He then won a Senate vote, but without an absolute majority.

The lack of a majority would restrict government business – hence the political shake-up.

Renzi’s main objection was to Conte’s plans for spending €209bn (£186bn; $254bn) of EU recovery funds – part of a €750bn EU rescue for the Covid crisis.

Renzi says EU funds should be invested in promising sectors like digital and green technologies, and wants MPs, rather than technocrats, to decide on the allocations. But he also wants more investment in the embattled health service.

Italy, now mired in recession, was at the epicenter of the pandemic in Europe last year.

Renzi governed Italy in 2014-2016, but currently his Italia Viva party is polling below 3%.  (Agencies)

Image courtesy of (Image courtesy: ANI)

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