Italy's new populist government was being sworn in today as supporters reacted with fury to European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker’s call for “more work, less corruption”.
The anti-establishment Five Star Movement and right-wing League party succeeded in forming western Europe’s first purely populist government. It will be led by a political novice, Giuseppe Conte, who is not even an MP.
President Sergio Mattarella’s office announced last night that Mr Conte had accepted the role and would be sworn in at the Quirinale, the presidential palace, this afternoon with his cabinet. “We will work with determination to improve the quality of life of all Italians,” said Mr Conte after he announced the names of his ministers.
The president’s announcement indicated that he had accepted all of the ministers proposed by the anti-EU FiveStar and the League on their second attempt. The populists’ original choice for a eurosceptic economy minister, Paolo Savona, 81, led to the collapse of their first attempt to form a government last weekend.
Five Star leader Luigi Di Maio and League leader Matteo Salvini came up with a compromise that led the president to postpone trying to install a government led by a technocrat until new elections could be held.
“The government of change is born,” tweeted Mr Di Maio, while Mr Salvini said: “Perhaps we have finally arrived after many obstacles, attacks, threats and lies.”
Just days after President Mattarella reaffirmed Italy’s commitment to the EU, Mr Juncker provoked outrage by saying Italians should not expect the EU to rescue its poorer southern regions.
“Italians have to take care of the poor regions of Italy. That means more work, less corruption, seriousness,” Mr Juncker said. “We will help them as we always did. But don’t play this game of loading with responsibility the EU.”
Mr Salvini called Mr Juncker’s remarks “shameful and racist”, but a spokeswoman for Mr Juncker said they had been taken “out of context.”
