Conte says he aims to form Italy’s government by mid-week

ROME – Premier-designate Giuseppe Conte says he is aiming to form Italy’s new government by Wednesday.

Conte said on Sunday that he was wrapping up a policy agreement with the two parties that would make up his governing coalition. The parties are longtime rivals, making divvying up Cabinet posts a challenge.

The populist 5-Star Movement is negotiating with the centre-left Democratic Party to put their animosity as adversaries aside to avoid an early election that could put the right-wing League in power and make party leader Matteo Salvini premier.

Salvini toppled Conte’s first government when he withdrew the League’s support. The party had governed in a tense coalition with the 5-Stars since June 2018.

Conte predicted he would nail down his new coalition by “Tuesday, at the latest Wednesday.”