Italian President Sergio Mattarella speaks to the media at the Quirinal Palace in Rome, Italy, April 13, 2018. REUTERS/Tony Gentile

ROME (Reuters) - Italian President Sergio Mattarella is ready to give more time to the League and 5-Star Movement to strike a government deal aimed at ending nine weeks of political stalemate, a source in the president’s office said on Thursday.

The two parties asked the head of state on Wednesday for 24 hours to see if they could agree to a coalition pact. A source close to 5-Star told Reuters on Thursday he believed they might need “a few more days” to close a deal.