'Coalition' parties hold talks with Fico on possible govt programme

(ANSA) - ROME, FEB 1 - Lower House Speaker Roberto Fico on Monday is holding talks with the parties that had been allied in supporting Giuseppe Conte's government to see if it is possible to agree on a programme for a new government.
    Conte quit as premier last week, although he remains at the helm of government for day-to-day business, after ex-premier Matteo Renzi's centrist Italia Viva (IV) party triggered a crisis by withdrawing its support for the executive.
    President Sergio Mattarella on Friday handed Fico a mandate to see if it were possible for the former coalition partners to patch things up.
    After meeting the individual parties at the weekend, Fico announced that it was possible for them to all get together for technical talks on a possible new contract of government.
    Fico is set to report back to Mattarella on Tuesday.
    In addition to IV, Conte's government was also supported by the 5-Star Movement (M5S), the centre-left Democratic Party (PD) and the left-wing LeU group.
    The centre-right opposition have said the talks are a waste of time in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic and are calling for snap elections. (ANSA).