5-Star Movement defends premier candidate’s resume

ROME – Italy’s 5-Star Movement is defending Giuseppe Conte, tapped to become the country’s next premier, against reports accusing him of overstating his affiliations with elite international universities in his resume.

The movement said in a statement Tuesday that Conte, a law professor picked to head Italy’s first populist government, “had never boasted” of degrees abroad but had “stayed abroad to study, enrich his knowledge and perfect his juridical English.” They said reports otherwise indicated fear for the changes coming under a 5-Star government with the right-wing League.

Conte, 53, is currently a professor at the University of Florence. He graduated with a law degree from Rome’s Sapienza University. He hasn’t made any statements since the two parties identified him as premier candidate, a role that must be approved by Italy’s president.