Luigi Di Maio, leader of the Five Star Movement (M5S), a populist Italian political party, has refused to join a coalition with Forza Italia, a party headed by former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

The move comes a day ahead of talks between Italian President Sergio Mattarella and the country's main parties to discuss the creation of a government coalition.

READ MORE: 'I Remain Director': Berlusconi Reveals His Role After Italian Election

Earlier, Di Maio repeatedly signaled his willingness to sit down with all the parties on the matter in the wake of last month's general elections in Italy.

Forza Italia has yet to comment on the matter, while Lega Party leader Matteo Salvini said that they will have a "dialogue with Five Star, but reject vetoes or commands."

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During the March 4 polls, the country's center-right coalition, consisting of Lega, former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia, the right-wing Brothers of Italy and Us with Italy, won 37.48 percent of the vote in the upper house and 36.96 percent in the lower house.

With almost 33 percent, the Five Star Movement, in turn, managed to obtain the largest share of the vote for any single political party during the elections. </s> Rome, April 3 - Anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S) leader Luigi Di Maio on Tuesday opened up either to the rightwing populist League or the centre-left Democratic Party (PD) for a possible government but shut the door on any alliance with ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia (FI), Corriere.it reported. The M5S said FI would block all attempts to reform the system. The government would be headed by M5S chief Luigi Di Maio, as "an expression of the popular will" that made the M5S Italy's top party with 32% of the vote - although the centre-right alliance as a whole garnered 37%. This will be the position that the M5S will take into government-formation talks with President Sergio Mattarella on Thursday, sources said. Di Maio explained the position on Italian TV Tuesday evening, telling the Di Martedì show that he wanted to launch a "government contract" either with the League or the PD. The PD has ruled out any alliance while the League has said Di Maio must give up his premiership ambitions for any deal to be made. League leader Matteo Salvini says FI and Berlusconi must come along with him as part of any package. </s> Luigi Di Maio, leader of Italy's 5Star Movement | Filippo Monteforte/AFP via Getty Images Italy’s Di Maio rules out coalition with Berlusconi Populist 5Star Movement leader also called for a German-style government contract.

Luigi Di Maio, the leader of Italy's 5Star Movement, has said the party is open to talks with the country's center-left Democratic party (PD) and the far-right League but ruled out the possibility of governing with Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia, ahead of formal consultations set to begin Wednesday.

"[Far-right League leader Matteo] Salvini needs to choose between the revolution and the restoration, whether to abandon Berlusconi and start to change Italy or remain attached to Berlusconi and not change anything," Di Maio said in an interview with Italian broadcaster La7 late on Tuesday.

The right-wing alliance between Salvini's League and Berlusconi's Forza Italia won the most seats in last month's election, followed by Di Maio's 5Stars, which commands the biggest single part in parliament. The inconclusive election resulted in a hung parliament, with no group able to govern alone.

Salvini has so far refused to break with his coalition partner, and the PD has followed the hard line set out by Matteo Renzi — before his resignation as party leader after the election — to exclude the possibility of a deal with the 5Stars, a move Di Maio called "irresponsible."

Instead of focusing on alliances and coalitions, Di Maio also said he would propose parties form a government contract "like they have in Germany."

"The interest of the country is at stake. Let’s sit down around the table, decide the things to do with a government contract, sign it in front of the Italians, and change the country," he said.

Italian President Sergio Mattarella will meet with party leaders Wednesday and Thursday to hear their proposals for forming a government.

Stephan Faris and Paola Tamma contributed reporting. </s> The leader of Italy's anti-establishment 5-Star Movement ruled out joining a coalition with Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia party on Tuesday, a day before formal government consultations begin.

Until now, 5-Star had said it was ready to talk to all parties after the March 4 national election ended in a hung parliament.

In an interview recorded by La7 TV channel and not yet broadcast, Luigi Di Maio said 5-Star was open to talks with the center-left Democratic Party (PD), though not to its former secretary Matteo Renzi, and the far-right League, but not with Forza Italia, two 5-Star sources said.

"We will propose a government contract like the Germans do and what is written is done, and what is not written does not get done," Di Maio told 5-Star lawmakers on Tuesday according to a statement.

The move will heighten tensions between the League and Forza Italia, which are partners in a center-right coalition that won the most seats in parliament. Forza Italia had no immediate comment.

"The coalition that won the most votes is the center-right and this is our starting point," League leader Matteo Salvini said on Facebook. "We will dialogue with 5-Star, but reject vetoes or commands."

In the election, the 5-Star followed the center right but was the single largest party, and the PD was third, but no one has enough seats to govern alone.

The 5-Star position will also put pressure on the PD to consider joining a coalition with 5-Star. So far the PD has toed the hard line - set by Renzi before he resigned as party leader in the wake of the vote - to not consider a deal with 5-Star.

"The 5-Star leader's proposal is unacceptable," Andrea Marcucci, the PD's Senate leader, said on Twitter.

Though the sources did not say what reason Di Maio gave for rejecting Forza Italia, the 5-Star has always been hostile to Berlusconi because the party has vowed to clean up Italian politics. Berlusconi has a conviction for tax fraud and is on trial in another case for allegedly bribing witnesses.

President Sergio Mattarella on Wednesday begins formal consultations in which he will try to get rivals to seek common ground and form a government together. He will meet the main parties, including 5-Star, on Thursday.

But more consultations could be held later and the process could take weeks. If no deal can be found, Mattarella may be forced to call a new election. </s> ROME (Reuters) - The leader of Italy’s anti-establishment 5-Star Movement ruled out joining a coalition with Silvio Berlusconi’s Forza Italia party on Tuesday, a day before formal government consultations begin.

Until now, 5-Star had said it was ready to talk to all parties after the March 4 national election ended in a hung parliament.

In an interview recorded by La7 TV channel and not yet broadcast, Luigi Di Maio said 5-Star was open to talks with the centre-left Democratic Party (PD), though not to its former secretary Matteo Renzi, and the far-right League, but not with Forza Italia, two 5-Star sources said.

“We will propose a government contract like the Germans do and what is written is done, and what is not written does not get done,” Di Maio told 5-Star lawmakers on Tuesday according to a statement.

The move will heighten tensions between the League and Forza Italia, which are partners in a centre-right coalition that won the most seats in parliament. Forza Italia had no immediate comment.

“The coalition that won the most votes is the centre-right and this is our starting point,” League leader Matteo Salvini said on Facebook. “We will dialogue with 5-Star, but reject vetoes or commands.”

In the election, the 5-Star followed the centre right but was the single largest party, and the PD was third, but no one has enough seats to govern alone.

The 5-Star position will also put pressure on the PD to consider joining a coalition with 5-Star. So far the PD has toed the hard line - set by Renzi before he resigned as party leader in the wake of the vote - to not consider a deal with 5-Star.

“The 5-Star leader’s proposal is unacceptable,” Andrea Marcucci, the PD’s Senate leader, said on Twitter.

Though the sources did not say what reason Di Maio gave for rejecting Forza Italia, the 5-Star has always been hostile to Berlusconi because the party has vowed to clean up Italian politics. Berlusconi has a conviction for tax fraud and is on trial in another case for allegedly bribing witnesses.

President Sergio Mattarella on Wednesday begins formal consultations in which he will try to get rivals to seek common ground and form a government together. He will meet the main parties, including 5-Star, on Thursday.

But more consultations could be held later and the process could take weeks. If no deal can be found, Mattarella may be forced to call a new election. </s> Rome, April 4 (IANS/AKI) Luigi Di Maio, leader of Italy’s populist Five Star Movement – the largest parliamentary party after inconclusive national polls – on Wednesday rejected political horse-trading in forming a new government.

“The answer is not political alliances and deals, between the various political forces,” Di Maio wrote on the Five-Star Movement’s blog.

“We’ve seen too much of this in the past decades and we know where it has got us: marriages of convenience aimed at divvying up seats in the parliament with a total disregard for citizens.”

Five-Star wants instead to base a government on a list of issues to resolve, Di Maio stated.

“We must do this for the country and for the citizens who have waited too long for a government that can come up with solutions to their problems.”

Di Maio’s post came as Italy’s President Sergio Mattarella began two days of formal consultations with the main political parties to determine if any party or coalition can muster support to form a government after the March 4 national election led to a hung parliament.

Five-Star was the single party with the highest number of votes at 32 percent while the centre-right coalition led by the rightwing League and including former Premier Silvio Berlusconi’s Forza Italia won 37 percent.

Di Maio has signalled his party is open to talks with the centre-left Democratic Party, which lost heavily in March, and with the League, but has ruled out the possibility of governing with Forza Italia.

In an interview with Italian broadcaster La7 late on Tuesday, Di Maio also said he would propose parties form a government contract “like they have in Germany”.

“Let’s sit down around the table, decide the things to do with a government contract, sign it in front of the Italians, and change the country,” he said. </s> Five Star Movement leader Luigi Di Maio (pictured) and head of the anti-migrant League party Matteo Salvini will each meet with President Sergio Mattarella on Thursday. Photo: Alberto Pizzoli/AF

Anti-establishment and far-right leaders will jostle for power on Thursday as they meet with the president for talks on who can lead a new Italian government.

Five Star Movement (M5S) leader Luigi Di Maio and head of the anti-migrant League party Matteo Salvini will each meet with President Sergio Mattarella on Thursday afternoon to make their case for leadership following the stalemate delivered by March's general election.

The right-wing coalition led by the League that also includes former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia party won 37 percent of the vote. M5S got the biggest share of any single party with just under 33 percent.

M5S leader Luigi Di Maio made a play for power in the lead up to the consultations, saying he would be willing to work with either the League or the centre-left Democratic Party (PD), on the condition that he take the top spot.

But Di Maio staunchly ruled out working with Salvini's coalition partner Berlusconi, a fierce rival of the M5S.

"Salvini needs to choose between revolution and the restoration. Whether to leave Berlusconi and change Italy or whether to stay with him and not change anything," said Di Maio.

The second day of the two-day consultation process began at 0800 GMT on Thursday with the Democratic Party, whose centre-left coalition came third with just under 23 percent of the vote.

They were to be followed by Berlusconi and Forza Italia at 0900 GMT and Salvini an hour later. Di Maio will be the last leader to speak with Mattarella at 1430 GMT.

After his consultations the president will take some time to decide who, if anyone, can command enough seats to form a government or whether a fresh round of consultations is necessary.

Finding a solution this week will be tricky given how far any group is from a majority in either the lower house Chamber or upper house Senate.

The PD has refused to work with either the right or M5S despite having enough seats to form a government with either.

"Everyone is stuck in their positions and if nobody moves, we will vote again," Salvini told reporters Thursday morning. </s> Image copyright AFP Image caption League chief Matteo Salvini and Five Star leader Luigi Di Maio both want to lead Italy

The leaders of two anti-establishment parties have each claimed they have the right to govern Italy, after voters in Europe's fourth-largest economy did not return a majority to any single party.

The Eurosceptic, populist Five Star Movement was the biggest single party with a third of the vote.

But the right-wing populist League said it had been endorsed to run the country as part of a centre-right alliance.

Forming a government could take weeks of negotiation and coalition-building.

Former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi has resigned as leader of the governing centre-left Democratic Party, which performed poorly, taking less than 20% of the vote.

He said the party would not join a coalition with "anti-system forces" and would go into opposition instead.

An alliance between the far-right League and ex-Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia party is set to win the most seats in the lower house of parliament, but the League has emerged as the senior partner. It won 17.4% of the vote compared with Forza Italia's 14%.

Matteo Salvini, the 44-year-old leader of the League, said at a press conference that he intended to speak to other parties to gain a parliamentary majority.

Five Star leader Luigi Di Maio, 31, announced that his party was also open to coalition talks with other parties - this despite the party having stated the contrary in the run-up to the vote.

The gains for populists represent a political earthquake that will send shockwaves to the EU in Brussels, BBC Europe editor Katya Adler says.

A coalition between Five Star and the League would be a "nightmare result" for the EU, our correspondent adds.

However, Mr Salvini has ruled out such an alliance. He said he was not interested in a "minestrone" coalition, referring to the Italian soup of mixed vegetables.

Results showed that the League conquered broad swathes of Italy's north, while Five Star saw its strongest show of support in the south.

The centre-left coalition, dominated by the Democratic Party, was punished in traditional strongholds including Emilia-Romagna, the northern region home to the city of Bologna.

Voter turnout was estimated at 73% on Monday morning, according to interior ministry figures.

What does the result mean?

Though no party will be able to rule alone based on latest results, the surge of support for populist parties has been compared with Brexit and the election of Donald Trump in the US.

The right-wing alliance, which also includes the far-right Brothers of Italy, is tipped to get 248-268 seats - below the 316 needed for a majority.

But Five Star will emerge as the largest single party in Italy's lower house, with 216-236 seats.

The party was founded in 2009 by comedian Beppe Grillo, who denounced cronyism in Italian politics. It has captured new voters in the poorer regions of southern Italy, feeding off anger over institutional corruption, economic hardship and immigration.

Italian voters appear to have abandoned Mr Renzi's Democratic Party because of dissatisfaction over these issues, and the centre-left coalition is projected to come a distant third, with an estimated 107-127 seats.

Immigration and the economy have been two of the key issues for voters during the election.

More than 600,000 migrants have travelled from Libya to reach Italy since 2013, which has upset many Italians.

The state of the economy was also at the centre of the debates. In 2016, some 18 million people were at risk of poverty, and unemployment is currently at 11%.

Results from the vote for Italy's Senate, the upper house of parliament, also favoured populists and parties of the right. Five Star performed better than anticipated and was forecast to take the most seats - around 102-122 - but miss out on a majority.

The right-wing coalition is predicted to get 118-150 seats in the upper house, and the Democratic Party 42-54.

Advantage Five Star - but what happens next?

By James Reynolds BBC News, Milan

We still don't know who the winner will be. But in this opening act, Five Star has gained a certain advantage. Its message clearly resonated with young people searching for jobs, and with voters in the poorer south of the country.

Image copyright Reuters Image caption Matteo Renzi's Democratic Party is among the losers in this election

The movement made a big point of running alone in this election. By contrast, other major parties teamed up into electoral alliances. But the feature which gave the party its strength - its independence - may now become its weakness. In order to form a government, Five Star must find coalition partners. Its inexperience in working with others may be a disadvantage in the practical business of coalition-building.

So, which way will Five Star seek to turn? There is some speculation that the movement may seek a coalition with the League.

Both parties have criticised Italy's relationship with the European Union, although neither campaigns to leave the bloc. A potential alliance between the two would be viewed with some degree of worry in Brussels.

Berlusconi's party outshone by allies

The vote comes as a blow to Silvio Berlusconi, 81, whose party led the right-wing coalition. But now Matteo Salvini has laid claim to that role.

He has promised to deport hundreds of thousands of migrants and spoken of the "danger" of Islam.

"My first words: THANK YOU," tweeted Mr Salvini as projections rolled in.

In any case Mr Berlusconi cannot hold public office himself until next year because of a tax fraud conviction.

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Berlusconi's handshake advice for BBC reporter

Who is Matteo Salvini?

The leader of the League is a proud Eurosceptic, who has praised Brexit and voiced opposition to the euro in the past.

"It's a fantastic victory which fills us with pride," said Mr Salvini on Monday as results came in.

He claimed Italian voters had "made a step forward to be free from the cages and ties that are bringing back hunger and insecurity in Europe".

In the same speech, Mr Salvini repeated his stance that the euro is bad for Italy.

"It's a wrong currency and a wrong choice," he said.

How Italy's press reacted - BBC Monitoring

La Stampa (centre-left): Di Maio wins, Italy is ungovernable

La Repubblica (centre-left): Italy belongs to the Five Star Movement and the League; the Democratic Party is knocked out, Renzi on his way out

Libero (centre-right): A chaotic government of amateurs - anger and confusion at the polls: From bad to worse

Il fatto quotidiano (populist): The Five Star Movement soars, Renzi crashes, Salvini wipes out Berlusconi: Everything changes

More on Italy's vote:

Italian town at centre of bitter race debate

Will fake claims affect poll?

Silvio Berlusconi: Italy's perpetual powerbroker </s> President Sergio Mattarella's last-ditch attempt to broker a government appeared to fall flat Monday, putting Italy on course for a caretaker government or even fresh polls just two months after inconclusive elections.

Italian politics has been deadlocked since the March 4 general election resulted in parliament being occupied by three minority blocs, unable or unwilling to work together.

Mattarella called separate meetings with rival political leaders at his Quirinale palace, in what was seen as a last-ditch effort to get them to agree on a government coalition.

A right-wing coalition led by the far-right League party topped the March 4 polls with 37 percent of the vote, while the anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S) became Italy's largest single party with almost 33 percent. The center-left Democratic Party came a distant third, with less than 19 percent. Neither group has the numbers to form a majority government and both have been tussling for power since the election.

Over the weekend the M5S leader, Luigi Di Maio and League chief Matteo Salvini seemed to have made some progress but after a new round of consultations with the president Monday, deadlock appeared insurmountable.

Speaking after his meeting with Mattarella, Di Maio said he was willing to forgo the premiership in order to come to an accord with the League.

"I am prepared to choose a different prime minister who would forge a government contract (with the League)," he said.

The far-right League and the anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S) agree that Italy should hold new elections on July 8. League leader Matteo Salvini suggested the date after meeting with M5S leader Luigi Di Maio. When journalists asked him whether Di Maio was also in favour of a July 8 vote, Salvini said "yes."

But for any potential deal to work, Di Maio insists that Salvini's coalition partner, former premier Silvio Berlusconi and his Forza Italia party must play no role in the new government, limiting themselves to outside support only.

Salvini said he was confident he could win over the missing votes - some 50 in the 630-member lower assembly, and 21 in the 320-member Senate - but did not say how.

The M5S regards Berlusconi's party as the symbol of Italy's political corruption.

Di Maio also stated that his party would refuse to back a caretaker government and that if no majority emerged the country must "return to the polls," a stance he shares with League leader Salvini.

Following his meeting with the president, Salvini also declared that he was ready to "participate in a new government which would start to solve the country's problems."

But he remained firm in his refusal to break up his coalition and ditch Berlusconi.

Instead he proposed he be given a mandate to form a minority government which would need the support of a few dozen MPs from smaller parties in parliament.

Press reports suggest Mattarella would be unlikely to do so without guarantees a majority could be reached.

The President is expected to name a caretaker government, similar to that of economist Mario Monti from 2011 to 2013, that would be tasked with restoring Italy's role on the world stage and running the country at least until the 2019 budget is passed.

He is thought to be looking for a neutral but competent figure, perhaps a woman, with press speculation running wild.

Several academics have been touted for the job by the media, including female candidates like economist Lucrezia Reichlin and constitutional court judge Marta Cartabia.

Italy has never had a female prime minister.

A "government of the president" would likely be tasked with drafting next year's budget law and help parliament draft a new election law to minimize chances of a deadlock after the next elections.

It would also have to engage in sensitive negotiations with European Union partners on migration, eurozone reforms and budget issues - all of the agenda of a Brussels summit in late June.

But with M5S and the League staunchly opposed to the idea, putting together a caretaker government will be no easy feat.

Lina Palmerini, analyst at the business daily Il Sole 24 Ore, said Mattarella has few options, warning: "If parliament rejects the president's government, the situation will be very difficult."

Pollster Lorenzo Pregliasco said voter surveys suggested new elections would not change the balance of forces. "No one will win a majority."
Ahead of formal talks on the formation of a coalition government, Five Star Movement leader Luigi Di Maio states he is willing to enter government with the Democratic Party and League but not with former President Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia party.