Giuseppe Conte vows to revolutionise Italy despite EU deadlock

Bloomberg

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte pledged to keep “revolutionising” Italy after a working dinner with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker failed to break a long-running standoff over the populist government’s push to follow through on expensive election promises.
At a Brexit summit of European Union leaders in Brussels on Sunday, Conte clearly had other concerns preying on his mind. The premier, a Florence law professor with no previous political experience, told reporters after the summit that he discussed the budget on the meeting’s sidelines with leaders including Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron.
“There’s a good atmosphere, mutual trust,” Conte said, adding he may meet his populist deputies Matteo Salvini of the anti-migration League and Luigi Di Maio of the anti-establishment Five Star Movement on the budget. “We’re confident we can complete the process to our mutual satisfaction.”
Asked if he would discuss lowering a 2.4 percent deficit target for next year with Salvini and Di Maio, Conte replied: “We always discuss the reforms and what is needed to carry out the promises we have made.”
Under pressure from the euro-skeptic Salvini and Di Maio, Conte held up on arrival at the Brexit summit a thick dossier which he gave Juncker at the dinner, entitled “A new path for a better future. Italy’s new strategy for social and economic growth.”
“This is what we talked about, I’m giving you a preview,” Conte said.