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| Conte II Cabinet | |
|---|---|
| Name | Conte II Cabinet |
| Cabinet number | 66th |
| Jurisdiction | Italy |
| Caption | Giuseppe Conte in 2019 |
| Date formed | 5 September 2019 |
| Date dissolved | 13 February 2021 |
| Government head | Giuseppe Conte |
| State head | Sergio Mattarella |
| Members number | 21 |
| Political parties | Five Star Movement, Democratic Party, Italia Viva, Free and Equal, Italia in Comune |
| Legislature status | Coalition majority |
| Opposition parties | Lega Nord, Forza Italia, Brothers of Italy |
| Election | 2018 Italian general election |
| Legislature term | XVIII Legislature of Italy |
| Previous | Conte I Cabinet |
| Successor | Draghi Cabinet |
Conte II Cabinet The Conte II Cabinet was the 66th government of the Italian Republic, led by Giuseppe Conte as Prime Minister and formed on 5 September 2019, serving until its resignation in February 2021 under President Sergio Mattarella. It was a parliamentary coalition that replaced the previous coalition after a political crisis initiated by a withdrawal of support from Matteo Salvini's Lega Nord, and it relied on parliamentary majorities drawn from a reconfiguration involving the Five Star Movement and the Democratic Party (Italy) alongside smaller groupings. The cabinet confronted crises including the COVID-19 pandemic, debates over the Next Generation EU recovery plan, and tensions with new centrist forces led by Matteo Renzi.
The government emerged after a confidence crisis precipitated by Salvini's withdrawal of support for the previous cabinet, culminating in a confidence vote in the Chamber of Deputies (Italy) and the Senate of the Republic (Italy). President Sergio Mattarella opened consultations with party leaders including Luigi Di Maio of the Five Star Movement, Nicola Zingaretti of the Democratic Party (Italy), and Matteo Renzi of Italia Viva, before appointing Giuseppe Conte to form a new cabinet. Conte negotiated portfolios with representatives from Free and Equal (Italy), Italia in Comune, and independent figures such as Roberto Gualtieri and Paolo Gentiloni, who had previously served as European Commissioners. The formation process invoked provisions of the Constitution of Italy and parliamentary procedures in the Italian Republic.
The cabinet composition balanced ministers drawn from the Five Star Movement, the Democratic Party (Italy), and smaller parties, plus technocrats and independents. Prominent appointments included former European Union figures: Paolo Gentiloni as Foreign Minister and Roberto Gualtieri as Economy Minister, both linked to prior roles in the European Commission and European Parliament. The presence of leaders from the Five Star Movement such as Luigi Di Maio and exponents of the Democratic Party (Italy) such as Nilde Iotti-era figures framed internal dynamics. Support in Parliament relied on majorities in both the Chamber of Deputies (Italy) and the Senate of the Republic (Italy), while opposition was led by the Lega Nord, Forza Italia, and Brothers of Italy.
The cabinet prioritized public health measures during the COVID-19 pandemic, adopting national decrees coordinated with regional authorities like Lombardy and Veneto, and worked to secure funding from the European Stability Mechanism and the European Investment Bank. Economic measures included measures to support furloughed workers under frameworks similar to the Cassa Integrazione system and stimulus packages connecting to the Next Generation EU mechanism negotiated with the European Council and European Commission (EC). Legislative activity encompassed reforms touching the Judiciary of Italy, anti-corruption statutes tied to initiatives promoted by Antimafia Commission (Italy), and digitalization efforts referencing the Digital Italy strategy. The cabinet also managed municipal and regional policy interplay in cities such as Rome, Milan, and Naples.
Foreign policy under Conte saw active engagement with the European Union on recovery funding, with Italian negotiators interacting with figures such as Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel during European Council summits. The government maintained relations with NATO through interactions with Jens Stoltenberg and pursued Mediterranean diplomacy involving Libya, Tunisia, and France under leaderships like Emmanuel Macron. The Conte II Cabinet elevated ties with the European Investment Bank and participated in discussions on migration management with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Organization for Migration. Italy also engaged in bilateral exchanges with China through the legacy of the Belt and Road Initiative protocol and with the United States on trade and defense coordination with administrations of Donald Trump and later evolving stances toward transatlantic policy.
The cabinet faced controversies including debates over procurement and the management of emergency contracts during the COVID-19 pandemic, scrutiny involving bidding processes with firms linked to regions such as Lombardy and accusations aired in the Parliament of Italy. Political rifts were intensified by the formation of Italia Viva under Matteo Renzi, which led to disputes over ministerial posts and spending priorities, provoking tensions in confidence votes in the Senate of the Republic (Italy). Ethical debates touched on appointments with ties to former European Commission staff and disputes over transparency pushed by critics in opposition parties like Forza Italia and Brothers of Italy.
Internal coalition strains peaked when Matteo Renzi's Italia Viva withdrew key support in early 2021, prompting Conte to offer his resignation to President Sergio Mattarella after a confidence display in the Senate of the Republic (Italy). Following consultations, the head of state invited Conte to attempt a reshuffle; failing to secure a stable majority, Conte resigned on 26 January 2021. Subsequent negotiations led President Mattarella to appoint Mario Draghi to form a national unity government, resulting in the establishment of the Draghi Cabinet on 13 February 2021. The transition involved recalibration among parties including the Five Star Movement, Democratic Party (Italy), Lega Nord, and Forza Italia.
Ministerial profiles included figures with European backgrounds such as Paolo Gentiloni and Roberto Gualtieri, technocrats and academics like Stefano Patuanelli and Luciana Lamorgese, and political leaders drawn from coalition partners including Luigi Di Maio and members affiliated with the Democratic Party (Italy). Portfolio charts reflected ministries such as the Ministry of Economy and Finance (Italy), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Italy), the Ministry of the Interior (Italy), and the Ministry of Health (Italy), each overseen by personalities with prior experience in regional offices, the European Parliament, or national parliamentarian roles in the Chamber of Deputies (Italy). Composition tables tracked ministerial turnovers, parliamentary seat distributions across the Chamber of Deputies (Italy) and Senate of the Republic (Italy), and party-affiliated undersecretaries representing the Five Star Movement, the Democratic Party (Italy), and smaller groups such as Free and Equal (Italy) and Italia in Comune.
Category:Political history of Italy