INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Giuseppe Conte said he had "perfected his judicial studies" at numerous foreign institutions (Reuters)Rome:
Giuseppe Conte, the law professor named as Italian prime minister on Wednesday after surviving accusations he inflated his academic
credentials, must now prove he can lead the euro zone's third largest economy with no political experience.Conte, who is unaffiliated to any
party, emerged from obscurity on Monday when the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement and the far-right League announced he was the compromise
choice to lead their coalition government."Outside here there is a country that needs answers," Conte said after receiving the mandate to
form a government from President Sergio Mattarella
"I will be the defence lawyer of the Italian people.He has a daunting task
Financial markets have heavily sold-off Italian stocks and government bonds at the prospect of an inexperienced, eurosceptic
government.League chief Matteo Salvini had to address widespread criticism that Conte will be a puppet of the two parties' leaders
"He won't merely carry out our orders, he will have to be independent," Salvini told reporters as Conte met Mattarella.The president, who
formally appoints the prime minister, took his time before endorsing Conte, whose curriculum vitae has come under scrutiny this week by the
world's media.Conte, 53, said he had "perfected his judicial studies" at numerous foreign institutions, including Cambridge University, New
York University and the Sorbonne in Paris.Most of the universities said they could find no trace of him on their databases, but Conte said
he had attended in an informal capacity to use their facilities and meet colleagues, and had made no false claims.Crucially, both 5-Star and
the League, which had spent weeks trying to find a mutually acceptable candidate, stuck by him and piled pressure on Mattarella to accept
their recommendation."He is an Italian with no powerful sponsors who has decided to put himself on the line to change this country," 5-Star
wrote on its website.Penchant For WaistcoatsDespite his lack of party ties, 5-Star proposed Conte among others as possible ministers before
inconclusive elections on March 4 when he promised to simplify Italy's labyrinthine bureaucracy."First we have to drastically abolish
useless laws," Conte said, adding that there were "many more" than the 400 pieces of superfluous legislation previously cited by 5-Star
leader Luigi Di Maio.That was the first time Conte had appeared in the public spotlight, though he is on the board of numerous academic and
judicial bodies and had participated in conferences on justice matters organised by 5-Star.A smart dresser with a penchant for waistcoats,
cufflinks and a white handkerchief poking out of his breast pocket, Conte teaches at Florence University and also practises as a lawyer in
Rome.It was in Florence that he established relations with 5-Star through Alfonso Bonafede, a local lawyer and senior lawmaker who is the
party's preferred choice as justice minister.Among the many colleges where Conte has taught is the Roman Catholic San Pio V institute, and
Italian media reported that he had close ties with the Vatican.Conte must now return to Mattarella with his cabinet team, which many
observers say has already been largely decided by Di Maio and Salvini.The powerful job of economy minister will be the trickiest appointment
The League is pushing for the eurosceptic economist Paolo Savona but Mattarella, who has the final say, has already let it be known he is
not happy with the choice.If all goes smoothly, Conte could have his government sworn in early next week, ready to face the necessary
confidence votes in both houses of parliament.© Thomson Reuters 2018(This story has not been edited by TheIndianSubcontinent staff and is
auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
