Italy finally realizes new government ministers, technocrat steps aside

Much speculation has hit the internet as of late relative to what was going to happen with Italy. After Matarella vetoed the government chosen by Parliament’s Prime Ministerial designate and installed a technocrat to serve the position in the mean time, until new elections could be held, it was seen as likely. But Giuseppe Conte, the Italian political coalition’s man of the hour, managed to arrange a designation to head key government positions.

France24 reports:

Italy’s prime minister-designate Giuseppe Conte announced Thursday his ministerial line-up after being handed a mandate for a second time to form a new populist government.
Far-right League leader Matteo Salvini was named interior minister while the head of Five Star Movement Luigi Di Maio is slated to become minister for economic development.

Paolo Savona, the eurosceptic economist who the populist coalition originally wanted for economy minister but was rejected by the Italian president, is still part of the cabinet as European Affairs minister.

The role of economy minister this time went to Giovanni Tria, a political economy professor who is in favour of keeping Italy in the euro, while Brussels-savvy Enzo Moavero Milanesi was named as minister of foreign affairs.

Many of the fears that have been expressed lately are that Conte’s assumed popularist politics and ministerial choices might lead Italy right out of the Euro, which would not be good for the EU, the common currency, or its markets. It has therefore been seen as a course of action that cannot be pursued.

However, on the level of international relations, such an exit from the Eurozone would actually provide Italy some independence in foreign relations and in its policy. With Europe’s sanctions against Russia still hanging about, along with its sour attitude towards the Russians, in addition, as much as the Italians may desire better relations with Russia, and better trade opportunities, Europe’s overarching policies simply are not conducive towards that aim.