Italy’s populists in ‘talks’ as president takes a stand

Bloomberg

Italy’s populist leaders Luigi Di Maio and Matteo Salvini forged ahead with a government plan in marathon talks, while President Sergio Mattarella indicated that he doesn’t intend to rubber stamp whatever they decide.
Di Maio of the anti-establishment Five Star, and Salvini, who heads the anti-immigrant League and a broader center-right alliance, were set to hold further discussions in Milan on
Sunday after Salvini said the pair had reached “substantial agreement on the key points” of a political programme on Saturday.
The two leaders, who had each sought the premiership, have agreed that neither would get the job, newspaper La Repubblica reported on Sunday. Instead, they will come up with a short-list of names that will probably be academics or senior state officials rather than political figures. Five Star’s choice may be economist Guido Tabellini, 62, a former rector of Milan’s Bocconi University, the paper said.
Mattarella, 76, a former minister and constitutional court judge, signaled that he won’t be a pushover in comments Saturday at a tribute to Luigi Einaudi, who served as president from 1948 to 1955. He recalled “the illuminating case” when Einaudi refused to appoint the premier candidate offered by the then-dominant Christian Democrats. “The head of state is not a notary,” Mattarella said, according to Corriere della Sera.
Voice of Reason
Many investors are looking to Mattarella to be a stabilising influence on a populist administration amid concern about funding spending pledges and demands to review European Union treaties. Mattarella’s office has said the head of state would work to ensure the government team is qualified for its task, doesn’t jeopardise state finances, and respects Italy’s international commitments.
Measures agreed in a draft government program so far include a citizen’s income for the poor, a flat tax, speeding up the expulsion of illegal immigrants, renegotiating EU accords, complying with EU limits on public spending etc, according to newspapers Repubblica and La Stampa.
Salvini, whose center-right bloc led Five Star in inconclusive March 4 elections, has been negotiating for more than two months with Di Maio to form a government together. They have told Mattarella, whose task it is to name a premier and cabinet ministers, that they will report back on their talks.