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This month’s election ended in a hung parliament, leaving the country’s parties considering various options to overcome the impasse as President Sergio Mattarella prepares to start formal negotiations next week. Eurosceptic Mr Salvini announced today he was ready to talk to the anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S) about forming a government after the two sides joined forces to elect parliamentary speakers at the weekend. Saturday's vote, which saw a 5-Star politician take charge of the lower chamber while a centre-right veteran became head of the upper house Senate, raised speculation the two blocs might move on and try to forge a coalition. And an increasingly confident Mr Salvini declared on Facebook: "The next PM can only be decided by the centre-right, the coalition that has won the most votes and that even yesterday showed solidarity, intelligence and respect to voters.

GETTY Matteo Salvini could team up with Five Star

The leader promised a string of reforms, including revision of European treaties and investment in border controls, which will cause panic among EU leaders. He vowed: “We will cut taxes and unnecessary expenses, make school and justice reforms, revise European treaties, relaunch Italian agriculture and fishing, create a ministry for the disabled, support autonomy and federalism, expel illegal immigrants and control borders. “We are ready, you are there.” Founder of M5S, Beppe Grillo, held out the possibility that the two parties could enter a coalition together.

GETTY Matteo Salvini says the next PM must be from the right

The two parties have enough seats to govern alone - a prospect that has worried financial markets because of their shared hostility to European Union budget restraints and their big campaign spending pledges. However, Mr Salvini has always pledged not to abandon his rightist allies, including former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, whose Forza Italia party unexpectedly trailed the League in this month's vote. Mr Berlusconi said an alliance between the League and M5S would be “absurd” because of ideological differences between the two parties. He said: “Matteo Salvini has the right and duty to try and form a new government.

GETTY Matteo Salvini is getting closer to leading Italy

GETTY Luigi Di Maio celebrates as his candidate Roberto Figo is elected