Italy has a new government, almost three months after the March 4 general election, with the swearing in of Giuseppe Conte's 5-Star Movement (M5S)/League executive.
The new "government of change" features 18 ministers, five of them women.
Accepting the mandate to form a government from President Sergio Mattarella on Thursday, Conte, a law professor with no political experience, said the new government would work to lift Italian living standards. "We will work intensely to achieve the political objectives anticipated in the (government) contract, we will work with determination to improve the quality of the lives of all the Italians".
The government rests on an alliance and government contract between anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S) leader Luigi Di Maio and anti-migrant Euroskeptic League leader Matteo Salvini.
Both will be deputy premiers and hold key ministries: Salvini at interior where he will implement a promised crackdown on undocumented migrants, and Di Maio at a new joint industry and labour ministry where he will roll out a basic income for job seekers and poor families.
New Labour Minister Di Maio said Friday that "now we will start work to create work".
He said "it's time to get the country started again, to put aside the Fornero (pension reform), to institute the basic income and minimum wage. And we will do it".
New Interior Minister Salvini said new EU Minister Paolo Savona will try to "renegotiate certain EU rules."
Di Maio said: "thanks you all, really. The government of change is a reality! We dedicate all this to (late co-founder) Gianroberto Casaleggio. I embrace you all! See you tomorrow!" The M5S said "today is a historic day. The 5-Star Movement is set to govern the country". Salvini said at a rally in Sondrio that "my commitment is for the security of 60 million Italians. "I will make felt my, our closeness to the forces of law and order, who do not deserve to be fooled by criminals who enter and exit jail every quarter of an hour, and we'll see them left there longer".
Salvini said "open doors in Italy for decent people and a one-way ticket for those who come to Italy to create problems and think they can be maintained for life. 'Go home' will be one of our priorities". He said "I'd like to give a nice cut to those 5 billion euros, that seem a bit much to me" (for migrant reception).
Salvini aid "I want to make Italy a protagonist in Europe again. With good manners, without causing confusion, but I'm fed up of governments with cap in hand. We are second to none".
He said "the mafia has always made us and will always make us sick, wherever there is injustice I will try to be there with a team. I ask you to be close to us because you can't do anything on your own".
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