May 30, 2018

As Italy’s new stop-gap prime minister struggled to form a cabinet yesterday, the country was bitterly divided by a political crisis that sent shudders through global markets and threatened to undermine the European Union.

Carlo Cottarelli, a former IMF official, started talks to form an administration as the Five Star and League parties criticised President Mattarella for scuppering their chance of forming Italy’s first populist government. If, as expected, Mr Cottarelli’s administration fails to win a confidence vote in parliament, Italy will have new elections, probably in the autumn.

Police are investigating death threats sent to the president but more than 260,000 Italians have backed him in a petition. “Italy is divided like never before,” Natascia Turato, a pollster with Index Research, said.

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https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/world/italy-bitterly-divided-over-threat-of-eu-referendum-05zjn720l