7 March
Silvio Berlusconi backs Northern League’s Matteo Salvini to lead Italy
Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has said he will support the leader of Italy’s Eurosceptic Northern League party in its attempts to form a government.
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A centre-right alliance made up of four parties - including the League, or Lega Nord, and Berlusconi’s Forza Italia party - emerged with the most votes overall. The grouping is now in negotiations to form a governing coalition with the centre-left coalition or the populist Five Star Movement.
Speaking to Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera yesterday, Berlusconi backed the League’s leader Matteo Salvini to be Italy’s next PM, after his party racked up the most votes of the four in the centre-right coalition.
“In full respect of our agreements, we will now loyally support attempts by Salvini to form a government,” Berlusconi said.