Interim leader says party will go into opposition and not join any coalition government

The former Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi has formally resigned as leader of the centre-left Democratic party (PD) following its crushing defeat in this month’s parliamentary election. The newly appointed interim leader, Maurizio Martina, was quoted by the Italian news agency Ansa as saying that the party intended to stick to Renzi’s plan to go into opposition and would not join any government.

No party or coalition won enough votes in the 4 March election to govern alone, and talks will determine whether the anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S), the party with the most votes, or the rightwing coalition led by the anti-immigration League, which would control more parliamentary seats, can form a stable government.

Martina said the League and M5S “don’t have any alibis now” and should “take their responsibility” to form a government.

The League leader, Matteo Salvini, had earlier on Monday rejected the idea of governing with the weakened PD or current prime minister, Paolo Gentiloni, hours after his main ally, the former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, had called for the PD’s support in order to avoid fresh elections.

“The Italians did not vote for us to bring Renzi back to government. Do you think a League voter wants Gentiloni in power?” Salvini told reporters after a party meeting in Milan.

The new parliament sits for the first time on 23 March. One of its first duties will be to elect presidents for the two chambers, which will give a first glimpse of party dynamics within the legislature.



Italian media speculation is growing that the only way out of the parliamentary deadlock maybe a national unity government backed by all the main parties.

Salvini indicated at the weekend that the League should lead one house and M5S the other. However, looking to forge ties with the centre-left, Forza Italia suggested the conservatives should back a PD candidate in one of the chambers.

Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report