Populist PM to lead new Italian government

Giuseppe Conte will be sworn in as Italy’s prime minister after accepting the offer to lead a new populist government.

Conte is set to be sworn in later today after meeting Italian President Sergio Mattarella and agreeing to lead a new government and break the country’s deadlock, reports the Independent.

Earlier this week, the 5-Star Movement and the right-wing League abandoned their plan to form a coalition after Mattarella vetoed their choice of 81-year-old eurosceptic economist Paolo Savona as finance minister.

Announcing the ministers in his government, Conte said: “We will work with determination to improve the quality of life of all Italians.”

The breakthrough came after anti-establishment political leaders Matteo Salvini and Luigi Di Maio agreed a deal for a new proposed coalition.

Global money markets had been rattled by the prospect of new Italian elections if the political deadlock continued.

After the initial attempt to form a government failed, Mattarella picked Carlo Cottarelli as interim prime minister. But Cottarelli was not able to present a cabinet, and received no support from any of the major parties.

The populist Five Star Movement emerged the single largest party in Italy's March elections, gaining nearly a third of the vote.