Outgoing PM Conte urges Draghi not to form technocrat government

Rome, Feb 4 (efe-epa).- The outgoing prime minister of Italy, Giuseppe Conte, said Thursday that he hopes Mario Draghi forms a political government instead of one composed of technocrats.

The former president of the European Central Bank, who has been tasked by Italian President Sergio Mattarella to form an “emergency” government, began discussions with the country’s leading parties on the formation of a new cabinet on Thursday.

“I hope for a political government that is solid and has enough cohesion to be able to take political decisions, because the urgent needs of the country require political actions, they cannot be entrusted to technicians,” Conte said in his first statement since he submitted his resignation to the head of state on January 26.

Conte also addressed his former coalition partners, the 5 Star Movement (M5S), the Democratic Party (PD) and Free and Equal (LeU), which had formed a government with Matteo Renzi’s Italia Viva, who suddenly pulled out of the coalition, triggering the latest political crisis.

“To my friends of the M5S I say ‘here I am and I will continue’ and as I say to the friends of the PD and LeU we must continue to work together so that our political project synthesized in the alliance develops,” he said.

“We must continue to pursue it, because it offers a real solution to modernize the country and boost energy transition and social inclusion,” he added. EFE-EPA

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