General
Italy facing political crisis as ex-PM Matteo Renzi sinks Government amid COVID-19 resurgence
Italy’s former prime minister Matteo Renzi has yanked his small party out of government, stripping the ruling coalition of its parliamentary majority and triggering political chaos amid a resurgent COVID-19 epidemic.
Key points:
- The dispute centres on Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte’s spending plans and leadership style
- Italy is in the worst recession since World War II as a result of the coronavirus pandemic
- If the coalition can’t agree, it might trigger an early election
The move could lead to a revamped Cabinet, a different coalition leader or the early election eagerly sought by right-wing opposition parties.
Mr Renzi had been chafing for weeks at what he saw as Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte’s heavy hand in deciding how to spend billions of…
