Italy’s centre-left leaves door open for Five Star

ROME: Italy moved tentatively towards ending weeks of political deadlock on Tuesday after the centre-left and the Five Star Movement both said they were ready to start talks on a coalition government. On Monday, Italian President Sergio Mattarella tasked speaker of the lower house Roberto Fico with seeing if a Five Star Movement (M5S)/Democratic Party (PD) government could be formed after talks between the M5S and a rightwing coalition led by the nationalist League party failed. Fico has until Thursday to report back to the president. Progress appeared possible after M5S leader Luigi Di Maio slammed the door on Matteo Salvini’s League, which is partnered with Silvio Berlusconi’s Forza Italia and minor far-right party Brothers of Italy, and said that he would sit down with the PD if they were willing to negotiate over a programme for government.