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Despite gaining enough votes at the March 4 election to act as kingmaker, PD declared it will not take any role in the next government but will go to the opposition.

Following a meeting with President Sergio Mattarella, PD’s acting secretary Maurizio Martina said: "The negative election result does not allow us to formulate government solutions that include us.”

Mr Martina, who replaced Matteo Renzi after he quit following the electoral defeat, had already ruled out the possibility of joining a coalition with Five Star Movement after the party leader Luigi Di Maio said he was open to negotiating with them.

Mr Martina wrote on Twitter: “Dear Luigi Di Maio, we are not up for this kind of games.”