Italy to turn to 5-Stars to lead talks to end impasse

ROME – Italy's president is launching another round of consultations to try to overcome the impasse from inconclusive March 4 elections, and he's expected to turn to the populist 5-Star Movement to head up talks.

President Sergio Mattarella summoned the 5-Star president of the lower chamber of deputies, Roberto Fico, to the Quirinale Palace on Monday. Mattarella will likely give Fico a mandate to explore the possibilities of finding an alliance that can win a parliamentary majority. Previous rounds have failed.

The 5-Stars were the biggest single vote-getter in the March 4 vote, but finished behind a center-right coalition made up of the right-wing League, Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia and a smaller party.

That center-right alliance won a regional election Sunday in southern Molise, boosting its standing in national talks.