Italy: Romans react to 'tangible' political crisis following Conte's resignation

W/S Italian Parliament, Rome
M/S Flags
M/S Man reading newspaper
C/U Newspaper reading (Italian): "Irresponsible, ignorant and cowardly"
SOT, Giovanni Principe, Italian citizen (Italian): "We are in their hands but I fear they will not reach any agreement on the things that have to be done. At this point, I think it is very likely we will vote soon. The elections in October, with the electoral law that we have, which is not very democratic, worry me a lot."
W/S Rome *CUTAWAY*
SOT, Angelo Bandiera, Italian citizen (Italian): "Matteo Salvini has behaved very arrogantly in my opinion, especially recently. He thought he had the whole country in his hand. As he obtained 34 or 35 percent [of the votes] in the European elections, he thought he could take over the government of the country completely. Honestly, I don't know what can happen now."
C/U Newspapers' front page *CUTAWAY*
SOT, Carla Reni, Italian citizen (Italian): "Italy is giving the image of a poor nation that tries to rise from a powerful crisis. You can see the crisis and it is tangible."
C/U Newspaper headline
W/S Italian Parliament
SOT, Carla Reni, Italian citizen (Italian): "It has happened [the rupture of the government] because it was already a forced union of two political thoughts that are not diverse, but opposed."
W/S Italian Parliament *CUTAWAY*
SOT, Meri Rossi, Italian citizen (Italian): "Sincerely, two parties joined in the beginning that did not agree and did not want to be together. They made an agreement but in the end they realized that they do not agree."
W/S Journalists *CUTAWAY*
SOT, Meri Rossi, Italian citizen (Italian): "Elections? I do not know what to say. I don't know if it's a solution."
W/S Street in Rome *CUTAWAY*
SOT, Maurizio Carrara, Italian citizen (Italian): "The government lasted only 14 months. This government crisis with the economic situation that the country is going through was not desirable. We will see what happens. The return to the polls would be the best solution to give the country a stable government."
W/S Rome
M/S Pantheon
SOT, Roberto Citoni, Italian citizen (Italian): "The government has fallen because of the crisis. The political forces do not think about governing Italy in the best possible way, but their own interests."
W/S Rome *CUTAWAY*
SOT, Roberto Citoni, Italian citizen (Italian): "Giuseppe Conte has been the Prime Minister, but in my opinion, he is a puppet in the hands of power. He is not a reliable candidate."
W/S Rome
W/S Tiber river with Vatican City in background
SCRIPT
Gripped by doubt and uncertainty over the political fate of Italy, Rome residents reacted to the collapse of the ruling alliance between 'The League' and the 'Five Stars Movement' following the resignation of Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, on Wednesday.
"The government has fallen because of the crisis. The political forces do not think about governing Italy in the best possible way, but their own interests", said Roberto Citoni.
One slammed League's leader Salvini for his "arrogant" behaviour and others lamented the doomed nature of "the forced alliance" between the ruling parties.
"It was a forced union of two political thoughts that are not different, but opposed," said Carla Reni who added Italy's political crisis was "tangible".
Last week Salvini filed a motion of no-confidence against Conte in the hopes that it will lead to snap elections, following a disagreement with his coalition partners, the Five Star Movement (M5S). The Senate decided to have Conte address them first, during which he announced his resignation.
Following consultations, Italian President Sergio Mattarella will have to decide whether to go ahead with new elections or try and have a new government formed from existing parliamentary parties.