Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has handed in his resignation to the head of state, opening the way for formal consultations on how to overcome the political crisis, the president's office says.
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President Sergio Mattarella will start consultations with party leaders on Wednesday afternoon, his office said in a statement, adding that Conte had been asked to stay on in a caretaker capacity as the talks continued.
Conte lost his absolute majority in the upper house Senate last week when a junior partner, the Italia Viva party headed by former prime minister Matteo Renzi, quit in a row over the government's handling of the coronavirus crisis and economic recession.
Mattarella, who as president has the power to decide on government formation, could still ask Conte to build a new government - but this time with broader backing in parliament.
Australian Associated Press
