ROME (AP) – The leader of Italy’s right-wing League party says he won’t give ground in a standoff that is blocking the country’s next government from taking office.

League leader Matteo Salvini tweeted Sunday that he would keep fighting “to the end” for the anti-euro candidate he wants to be economy minister.

Paolo Savona has likened Italy to being in a “cage” of austerity restrictions favoured by fellow eurozone member Germany. President Sergio Mattarella, who as Italy’s head of state must approve the next Cabinet, is staunchly pro-euro.

Italy Faces Showdown Over Populist Candidate for Minister of the Economy https://t.co/UANZzTux1b — Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) May 25, 2018

Salvini and 5-Star Movement leader Luigi Di Maio, a fellow eurosceptic, have joined forces in hopes of giving Italy its first populist government.

After inconclusive March 4th elections, they proposed a political novice, law professor Giuseppe Conte, as their choice to lead the next government as Prime Minister of Italy.