Italian party asks for more time to form govt.

A new Italian government was put on hold on Monday after the leader of anti-establishment Five Star Movement asked President Sergio Mattarella for a few more days to form a coalition with the far-right League.

“We have asked the President of the Republic for more time to finish the government contract. The next few days will be crucial,” Luigi Di Maio told reporters after meeting with Mr. Mattarella.

Earlier, the leaders of the anti-immigrant League party and the anti-establishment Five Star movement agreed to meet the Italian President to share details of a government programme for the eurozone’s third largest economy, thrashed out over the weekend.

Political quagmire

Italy, one of six founding members of what became the European Union, has been stuck in a political quagmire since its inconclusive March 4 election, which was dominated by a struggling economy, the refugee crisis and illegal immigration.

The partnership between the League’s Matteo Salvini and Mr. Di Maio would represent a blow to mainstream European political parties across the continent.

According to Italian media reports, their nominee for Prime Minister is likely be from a “third party” and will have to be able to make the eurosceptic nature of the new government workable with Brussels.

The parties have reportedly agreed on rolling back increases to the age of retirement while Five Star is broadly willing to follow the League’s hard-line anti-immigration policies.