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.
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."
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".
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 said "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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