“We must do this for the country and for the citizens who have waited too long for a government that can come up with solutions to their problems.”

Di Maio’s post came as Italy’s President Sergio Mattarella began two days of formal consultations with the main political parties to determine if any party or coalition can muster support to form a government after the March 4 national election led to a hung parliament. Luigi Di Maio, the leader of Italy's 5Star Movement, has said the party is open to talks with the country's center-left Democratic party (PD) and the far-right League but ruled out the possibility of governing with Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia, ahead of formal consultations set to begin Wednesday. European Parliament president and member of Italy's conservative Forza Italia said on Thursday the party "won't be humiliated by anyone" after the populist Five-Star Movement - the country's biggest party - vowed to shun Forza Italia as a coalition partner. Salvini wrote in a Facebook post that he won’t get involved with the Democrats, since they were “rejected by the Italians.” He added the center-right had won most votes “and that is the starting point.” Salvini has ruled out breaking with his bloc to join Five Star. Di Maio said former leader Matteo Renzi had ruled out a role in the next government “to spite me and Five Star.”

“Dear Luigi Di Maio, we don’t lend ourselves to these little games: whoever tries to divide the PD won’t succeed,” acting party leader Maurizio Martina said in a post on Twitter. “He has to decide whether to ditch Berlusconi and start to change Italy, or stay stuck to Berlusconi and not change anything.”

President Sergio Mattarella, whose task it is to nominate a new premier, meets party leaders on Wednesday and Thursday, his first consultations since general elections a month ago.
Ahead of formal talks on the formation of a coalition government, Five Star Movement leader Luigi Di Maio states he is willing to enter government with the Democratic Party and League but not with former President Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia party.