European Interest

Why left-right coalition is possible in Italy

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In an interview with Sunday’s Corriere della Sera, Pier Carlo Padoan said he expected that none of the three main parties (the left-wing Partito Democratico (PD), right-wing Forza Italia (FI) and the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement) would be able to govern alone.

Italy’s economy minister on January 7 said a coalition between main left and right-wing parties should not be ruled out since the March 4 election is expected to produce a hung parliament.

In an interview with Sunday’s Corriere della Sera, Pier Carlo Padoan said he expected that none of the three main parties (the left-wing Partito Democratico (PD), right-wing Forza Italia (FI) and the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement) would be able to govern alone.

According to the Reuters news agency, the centre-right is seen winning most seats in March, but opinion polls suggest it will not gain an absolute majority.

Asked if the PD and FI parties could form a government, Padoan said: “In a context of high uncertainty nothing can be ruled out. Such uncertainty is already being perceived. Financial markets are rather nervous it seems to me: when parliament dissolved the (German-Italian 10-year bond yield) spread widened.”

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