ROME – Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte is about to resign, but then hopes to form a new government that can count on a larger majority, national dailies reported on Monday.
“My goal is to find an agreement that provides a clear political perspective to govern until the end of the legislation,” Conte said, according to La Repubblica.
The report added that Conte could send his resignation to the head of state as early as Tuesday and then set up a new coalition based on centrist and so-called “responsible” parliamentarians.
There were no immediate comments from the prime minister’s office.
Conte’s government was in turmoil earlier this month when a junior partner, the Italia Viva party led by former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, left the cabinet to deal with the coronavirus crisis.
Although Conte survived last week’s vote of confidence in parliament, he failed to get an absolute majority in the Senate, meaning he will fight to adopt any political agenda unless he can rely on new support. .
The prime minister has called on the Senate’s central and non-aligned parliamentarians to join government ranks, but few have responded so far.
The Corriere della Sera newspaper said that Conte wants to bring Renzi back on board and is looking to create a “government of national security”, which will also have the support of moderate center-right politicians.
In an attempt to put pressure on lawmakers, the main governing parties have said that quick elections, two years ahead of schedule, will be the only way out of the political stalemate, unless a solution is found quickly.