Speaker Casellati summoned to Quirinal Palace

 ROME -- Italian President Sergio Mattarella summoned elegant Senate Speaker Maria Elisabette Casellati to the Quirinal Palace Wednesday where he was expected to offer the Forza Italia politician an "exploratory mandate" to try and break the political stalemate paralysing Italy since last month's inconclusive general election and sound out political leaders on the possibility of forming a coalition government, Quirinal sources said.

 Signora Casellati, 71, was due to arrive at the palace to see the head of state at 11 a.m., the sources said. Mattarella invited the Senate Speaker after holding two rounds of formal political consultations with bickering party leaders who posed insurmountable conditions for working with each other preventing the formation of a Government.

 If the Senate Speaker also can find no way out of the impasse the head of state may decide to call another general election.

 jp