M5S will 'work with other parties' if under 40% - Di Maio

(ANSA) - Rome, December 18 - 5-Star Movement (M5S) Premier Candidate Luigi Di Maio said Monday that the anti-establishment group will work with parties willing to back its programme if it fails to win the upcoming Italian election with a working majority in parliament. "If we obtain 40% in the elections, we will be able to govern alone," Di Maio told Radio Capital.
    "If we don't, on the evening of the elections, we will make a public appeal to the other political parties that entered parliament, presenting our programme and our team.
    "And we will govern with who is up for it". He subsequently stressed that this does not mean the M5S is willing to form a government coalition with other parties. The M5S, is set to run alone at the election, without any alliance partners, has repeatedly ruled out making compromises with Italy's traditional parties, which it accuses of being to blame for corruption and economic decline.
    "Our idea is to present our government team before the election," he said.
    "On the evening of the election, we will make an appeal to the political parties to get together on issues, not an exchange of posts.
    "So let's make it clear. We are eliminating the words alliance and coalition from the dictionary".