Berlusconi renews demands as Italy's government takes shape

The right-wing alliance that included Silvio Berlusconi’s Forza Italia party and Matteo Salvini’s League won last month's elections. This was promising political stability after years of dysfunctional governments.

The dispute between Meloni & Berlusconi regarding the cabinet post seemed to have settled after a meeting Monday. However, Berlusconi reiterated his demand that his party get the justice ministry on Tuesday, which could lead to tensions rekindling.

Senior coalition members say they hope that the new government will be in place by next week.

According to a source, Forza Italia will take over the foreign ministry from Antonio Tajani, a close Berlusconi aide and career politician, according to a source.

Sources say that Salvini, the League chief, will be in charge of infrastructure, while he could leave his job as interior minister to a close technocrat.

Berlusconi announced Tuesday that Salvini and Tajani will be vice prime ministers. He also announced that Elisabetta Casellati will be the justice minister. Casellati was a former head for the Senate and prominent Forza Italia politician.

BERLUSCONI ON TRIAL

His claim to the justice ministry is controversial. He is currently being tried on charges of bribing witnesses. In a prior case, he was acquitted of the charge of paying for sex in an underage prostitute. He has denied any wrongdoing.

Meloni did not respond immediately to Berlusconi. According to Berlusconi he would prefer that the job be given to Carlo Nordio (an ex-prosecutor and Brother of Italy lawmaker).

Giancarlo Giorgetti was the League party's industrial minister in Mario Draghi’s previous government. He looked well-placed to be economy minister. Giancarlo Giorgetti is a League figure who is moderate and pro-European.

Giorgetti will need to reconcile the economic stability of the third-largest economy in the euro area, whose public debt amounts to around 145% of its national output, and the promises of the coalition regarding tax-cutting.

Italy will need to address record-high inflation, rising energy costs and other issues that are affecting families and businesses. Sources in coalition claim that energy-related issues will remain in the control of the ecological transition minister.

According to a coalition source, Gilberto Pichetto Fratin is the frontrunner to replace technocrat Roberto Cingolani. Pichetto Fristin, a long-standing Forza Italia politician, was deputy industry minister under the previous administration.

Another key position in the ongoing war against Ukraine is the defence ministry. One source claimed that Adolfo Urso from the Brothers of Italy, who was previously the head of the parliamentary security committee, is the main contender for the post.

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