Italy's 5-Star seeks talks with PD, closes door on center-right

Thomson Reuters

ROME (Reuters) - Italy's 5-Star Movement said on Tuesday it wanted to pursue government coalition talks with the center-left Democratic Party (PD) and slammed the door on any further discussions with the center-right bloc.

Italy has been stuck in political limbo since inconclusive elections at the beginning of March, which saw the center-right alliance led by the League win the most seats and the 5-Star emerge as the largest single party. The PD came a distant third.

"For me any discussion of a government with the League ends here," 5-Star leader Luigi Di Maio told reporters, hours after the PD said it was willing to hold coalition talks with the anti-establishment movement so long as the group confirmed that it was turning its back on the rightist alliance.

Di Maio said if talks with the PD failed, Italy would have to hold new elections, rejecting suggestions that a government of technocrats should be set up with a limited mandate.

(Reporting by Crispian Balmer; Editing by Steve Scherer)

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