Italy news: Italian eurosceptic leader opens door for FAR-RIGHT coalition
The Lega leader and his coalition partners in the Five Star Movement (M5S) signalled they were preparing to ask the far-right party to join their latest bid to form a new government. Italy was plunged into a political crisis after President Sergio Mattarella rejected the parties' nomination of anti-euro economist Paolo Savona to become Finance Minister. Mr Salvini said: "Either the new Government is based on the contract Italians approved of and signed and with the complete team we've assembled – possibly with the addition of Giorgia Meloni – or those who have rejected us will have won." The eurosceptic leader warned his party would be prepared to head back to the polls unless President Mattarella granted Lega and M5S the chance to present him with a new ministerial line-up to form a Government.
GETTY Italy news: Matteo Salvini said he would be ready to welcome Giorgia Meloni in the coalition
The addition of Ms Meloni would add far-right connotations to the coalition programme due to Brothers of Italy's links to the country's fascist past. Ms Meloni launched her campaign for Italy's March 2018 election in Latina, one of the cities Benito Mussolini founded in the 1930s, accompanied by one of the dictator's granddaughter Rachele. The Brothers of Italy leader was an outspoken critic of President Mattarella after he rejected Prof Savona, saying she would put in a motion in Parliament to charge the President with high treason. A source close to the M5S said the coalition partners are working to find "a point of compromise on another name" to present to Mr Matterella to reign in the instibility created by his rejection.
Italian election pictures: Who won the Italy Election 2018? Mon, March 5, 2018 Italian election pictures: Who won the Italy Election 2018? Play slideshow Getty Images 1 of 21 Candidate of Five Stars Movement Alfonso Bonafede
The addition of Ms Meloni would add far-right connotations to the coalition programme due to Brothers of Italy's links to the country's fascist past