ROME — Will they or won’t they? The once-competing populist and anti-establishment parties that won the most votes in Italy’s elections two months ago joined forces in recent days, seemingly close to ending a deadlock. On Monday, they met separately with the Italian president, and expectations were high that the country might have a new government.

Then, things quickly returned to normal: The party leaders emerged from their meetings to say that they had asked the president for more time to iron out significant disagreements.

While a deal had seemed imminent, the exasperated faces of the leaders of the Five Star Movement, an unpredictable, web-native party, and the League, a hard-right, anti-immigrant party, suggested that time might not heal all wounds.

“The last thing we want to do is waste the time of the president or the Italians,” said Matteo Salvini, the leader of the League, during angry but resolute remarks to reporters after meeting with President Sergio Mattarella. “I hope to see you again as soon as possible, either to form a government, or to say goodbye.”