5-Star Movement rejects ‘neutral’ government, calls for new Italian election

After two months of futile negotiations to form a governing coalition, Italy’s most popular party, 5-Star Movement, has rebuffed a suggestion by the country’s president Sergio Mattarella that a government with no political affiliation should take control, likely until December. “No faith in a ‘neutral’ government, which is synonymous with a government of technocrats. We are going to vote in July," 5-Star leader Luigi Di Maio tweeted on Monday. Di Maio and Matteo Salvini, the leader of the other biggest faction, the Lega-led Center-Right Coalition, have both agreed to a potential July 8 date for a new election, if no last-minute deal can be concluded.