ROME -- Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte resigned Tuesday to prepare the way for a new broader-based coalition government he hopes to lead to end a government crisis prompted by criticism of his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic and the economy, Quirinal Palace sources said.

 Sig. Conte made the journey 'up the Hill' to the Quirinal Palace at noon Tuesday to throw in the towel officially to President Sergio Mattarella who was expected to give him an exploratory mandate to see if he can concoct a workeable majority to form a third government, the sources said. Consultations were expected to begin Wednesday.

 In order to succeed Conte will have to bring back into the coalition with greater cabinet representation the small Italia Viva party headed by ruthless former prime minister Matteo Renzi who set off the government crisis by refusing to support the government in a confidence vote. Renzi's two ministers in the government resigned and he is believed to be asking for wider representation in a new cabinet including probably the key post of interior  minister for Ettore Rosario, Italia Viva's coordinator, as well as promotion of Maria Elena Boschi, identified by gossip columnists as at least a one-time girlfirend of Renzi, as minister of labour, said the sources.

 Giving Renzi a pay-off for coming back into the coalition sticks in the craw of the M5S Five Star Movement, largest political grouping in the coalition, but the former communist Democratic Party (PD) has made it clear that bringing Renzi, a leading luminary of the PD till he broke away from the party, is essential.

 Ministers in general are terrified of losing their powerful posts but heads are bound to roll if Conte has to make space to buy support from IV and a number of independents in the Senate.

 Should his bid to put his throne back together fail Mattarella may ask another politician to try and form a government or else call a general election. 

 jp