Italian president opens talks to resolve political crisis

MILAN (AP) — Italy’s president opened consultations Wednesday aimed at identifying a sustainable coalition majority, after Premier Giuseppe Conte was forced to resign when a small party yanked its support.

Sergio Mattarella met in Rome with the speakers of both houses of parliament on the first day of meetings.

“We are all working for the good of the country,″ Roberto Fico, speaker of the lower house and a member of the governing 5-Star Movement, said as he left the consultations.

The more critical talks are scheduled for Thursday, when Mattarella meets with former Premier Matteo Renzi — who leads the tiny party that triggered the crisis — and Friday, when he sees three right-wing opposition leaders who are seeking new elections.

Mattarella also meets Thursday with the Democratic Party (PD) and on Friday with the 5-Star Movement, the two most important members of the coalition, both of which continue to back Conte.

“We are a facing a very tight passage,’’ PD leader Nicola Zingaretti told reporters, labeling Renzi “irresponsible” for opening a political crisis amid the pandemic and the resulting economic and social woes.

Renzi defended the timing. “It is exactly now that the future of the country is in play,” he said in a Facebook video. “Either we resolve the open questions now, or condemn our children and grandchildren to live in total decline.”

On Wednesday, independent lawmakers formed a new parliamentary group, dubbed the Europeanists, that pledged its support for Conte. But the numbers are still not enough to guarantee him a secure majority after Renzi yanked the backing of his small Italia Viva (Italy Alive) party.

Conte has been working to get the support of independent lawmakers and independent-minded members of the right, in...