Italy's New populist Government sworn in | All you need to know
After days of uncertainty and bitter rows over the formation of
new government, Italy’s new populist government will be sworn into power today.
President Sergio Mattarella has given his consent to a revised list of
ministers.
Former political opponents Five Star Movement (M5S) and the
far-right League released a joint statement announcing that Giuseppe Conte
would be serving as prime minister. Conte, who is a considered a political
newcomer, met the president and put forward the revised list of ministers.
Earlier, there was a huge uproar when Conte had insisted on
making Paola Savona, an 81-year-old Eurosceptic, as the finance minister. The
president had vetoed the choice, prompting the coalition government to give
Savona the post of European Union minister instead.
The news will bring some relief for the European nation, which
has been embroiled in a political crisis for weeks as the threat of looming
snap elections is removed for now. It is now to be seen how two former
political opponents will jointly govern the country.
The role of the interior minister has been given to Matteo
Salvini, the league leader. A fierce critic of Brussels, he had promised mass
deportations of migrants from the country during the election campaigns. Luigi
Di Maio, the M5S chief will be taking a powerful new post, which combines
labour and industry portfolios. The finance ministry will be led by Giovanni
Tria, who is a practically unknown economics professor.
President Mattarella who had already nominated Carlo Cottarelli
to serve as interim prime minister decided to put a hold on his plans to give
the populists parties some more time to reach a new agreement.
Both the parties have similar views on Brussels and Italian
“elites”. Together they have decided to work towards scrapping the pension plan
and cut back on the taxes.
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