Italy’s incoming right-wing populist prime minister has used his maiden speech to call for the lifting of sanctions against Russia, opening a rift with the country’s EU allies on the issue.
Giuseppe Conte, who leads a coalition of the anti-establishment Five Star Movement and far-right League, said his government would “promote a review of the sanctions system” in meetings with other EU leaders.
In his first speech to the Italian Senate, Mr Conte outlined his administration’s priorities, including a crackdown on irregular migrants and an end to austerity economic policies.
Mr Conte’s government won its first vote of confidence in the Senate and is expected to also be approved by the lower house of parliament, the chamber of deputies.
Under Italy’s unusual political system, the confidence of houses is required to form a government.
A lawyer with practically no political experience, Mr Conte was the PM choice of League leader Matteo Salvini and Five Star leader Luigi di Maio.
The two politicians will now serve as his deputy prime ministers. “We will be the advocates of an opening towards Russia,” Mr Conte told senators.
“A Russia which has consolidated its international role in recent years in various geopolitical crises. We will promote a revising of sanctions, starting with those that demean Russia’s civil society.”
Mr Conte’s intervention on Russia comes as Vladimir Putin visits neighbouring Austria, where a right-wing coalition government also favours closer ties to Moscow.