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Roundup: Italy's newly-appointed PM expected to announce cabinet

Xinhua, December 13, 2016 Adjust font size:

Newly-appointed Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni was expected to announce his cabinet members later on Monday, according to media reports.

Gentiloni, 62, was named as the country's new prime minister by Italian President Sergio Mattarella on Sunday, and asked to form a transitional government, following the resignation of Matteo Renzi from the post last week.

Few changes in the list of ministers are to be expected, compared to outgoing Renzi's center-left government, since Gentiloni can rely on the same majority in parliament.

Gentiloni has been holding talks with all parliamentary groups since Sunday evening, soon after receiving the mandate. According to his official schedule, he is to conclude his consultation in the early afternoon with the representatives of the center-left Democratic Party (PD), the largest force in parliament to which both Gentiloni and Renzi belong.

Opposition Five Star Movement (M5S) and Northern League have both refused to hold consultations with him.

He is to report to the president about his efforts later in the afternoon, and is expected to hand in the list of ministers.

Once this happens, the new government will be sworn in, and will then have to ask for a confidence vote in both the Senate and the Lower House of parliament. All this could happen between Tuesday and Wednesday, according to major media analysts.

If such a plan is fulfilled in this time frame, Gentiloni would be able to represent Italy at the next European Union (EU) Council meeting scheduled for Dec. 15, which was a strong wish expressed by Mattarella.

Key figures in the outgoing government are expected to be re-instated, such as economy minister Pier Carlo Padoan, who is an experienced economist and would be reassuring for the markets, according to Il Corriere della Sera newspaper.

Gentiloni might go on serving as foreign minister, in addition to his prime ministerial role.

Other possible candidates for the position include outgoing interior minister Angelino Alfano, leader of PD's minor ally New Center Right (NCD), and PD member Piero Fassino, former mayor of Turin, who had served as foreign affairs undersecretary and minister of foreign commerce and of justice in previous cabinets.

The resignation of Matteo Renzi on Dec. 7, which triggered the current government crisis, was due to a defeat he suffered in a crucial referendum on Dec. 4 over a constitutional reform package he had strongly advocated. Endit