ROME – Outgoing Democratic Party ministers, Graziano Delrio and Andrea Orlando, vehemently attacked the League line-up in Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte’s newly formed government as they prepared to be sworn in on Friday, political sources said.
Riling comments from departing Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Graziano Delrio, which triggered an immediate response from Salvini, after insisting that the League was “linked to European neo-fascism.”
ROME – Giuseppe Conte became Italian Prime Minister on Friday having sworn in, along with his Five Star-League cabinet, at the Quirinal Palace.
Assembled at the president’s office, the populist “government of change” was finally born, bringing an end to the country’s 89-day political deadlock.
Conte’s government team, composed of 18 ministers, including five women, took an oath before Italian President Sergio Mattarella, swearing loyalty to the Republic, the Constitution and laws, and to exercise functions in the interest of the Nation.
ROME – Fierce tension between Italy’s incoming M5S-League government and the European Union escalated on Friday after European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker characterised Italians as lazy and corrupt, political sources said.
In a question and answer session at the European Parliament, Juncker was asked about Southern Italy, unemployment and the use of European funds.
The following are thumbnail profiles of key ministers in the government being sworn in Friday:
Paolo Savona
The controversial Eurosceptic economist took up the role of Minister of European Affairs having previously been vetoed by Italian President Sergio Mattarella to become minister of economy.
81-year-old Savona’s initial rejection brought an end to Conte’s first government formation attempt, having been tenaciously backed by Di Maio and Salvini.
The following is a list of the ministers in Italian Prime Minister’s cabinet:
Undersecretary to the Prime Minister: Giancarlo Giorgetti
Minister of Economy: Giovanni Tria
Minister of Foreign Affairs: Enzo Moavero Milanesi
Minister of the Interior: Matteo Salvini (Deputy Prime Minister)
Minister of Economic Development and Labour: Luigi Di Maio (Deputy Prime Minister)
Minister for Relations with Parliament: Riccardo Fraccaro
Minister of European Affairs: Paolo Savona
Minister of Defence: Elisabetta Trenta
ROME – Political novice Giuseppe Conte accepted a second mandate from Italian President Sergio Mattarella on Thursday and later presented to the head of state his list of ministers from the Five Star Movement and the anti-migrant League, who will return to the Quirinal Palace to be sworn in at 4 p.m. on Friday, sources from the president's office said.
ROME – The radical opposition group We Are Church International (WACI) has strongly rejected Archbishop Luis Ladaria’s claim that the ban on ordaining women to Catholic priesthood has a “definitive character” and “is a truth belonging to the deposit of faith.”
Ladaria, 74, further outlined that Jesus’ intent was clear when he bestowed the sacrament of ordination on “the twelve apostles, all men, who, in turn, communicated it to other men.”
PAVIA – From 31 May to 17 June, a travelling exhibition organised by Il Mondo del Vetro entitled “La Fratelli Toso: historical glass from 1930 to 1980”, will be held at the church of Santa Maria Gualtieri in the city of Pavia.
Visitors will be able to learn about the history and production of one of the oldest and most important Murano glass factories, run by the Toso family since 1854.
Over 60 rare and unique pieces of glasswork from the Toso’s own private collection will be on display.
ROME - The Thursday forum hosted by Mediatrends, centred around a discussion titled “The challenge of regional emigration in America.”
Roberto Montoya, Director of Mediatrends, introduced the discussion by highlighting that a large percentage of Latin-Americans move away to the United States and Central America, due to lack of opportunities and economic potential back in their home country.
