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| Conte I Cabinet | |
|---|---|
| Cabinet name | Conte I Cabinet |
| Jurisdiction | Italy |
| Date formed | 1 June 2018 |
| Date dissolved | 5 September 2019 |
| Government head | Giuseppe Conte |
| State head | Sergio Mattarella |
| Political party | Five Star Movement; League |
| Legislature status | Majority coalition |
| Previous | Gentiloni Cabinet |
| Successor | Conte II Cabinet |
Conte I Cabinet
The Conte I Cabinet was the 65th government of Italy, led by Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, formed on 1 June 2018 as a coalition between the Five Star Movement and the League, and it governed until 5 September 2019 under President Sergio Mattarella. The cabinet succeeded the Gentiloni Cabinet following the 2018 Italian general election and preceded the Conte II Cabinet after a realignment involving the Democratic Party and other parties. Its tenure was marked by clashes with the European Commission, disputes over the Italian Constitution interpretation, and high-profile resignations that influenced Italian and European politics.
Following the 2018 Italian general election, which produced a hung parliament with strong showings for the Five Star Movement, the League, and the Forza Italia-aligned centre-right, negotiations involved leaders such as Luigi Di Maio, Matteo Salvini, and intermediaries close to Silvio Berlusconi. President Sergio Mattarella initially rejected the proposed nomination of Paolo Savona for the Ministry of Economy and Finance due to Savona's eurosceptic views linked to debates over the eurozone crisis and relations with the European Union. After intense consultations with figures from institutions including the Italian Parliament, the Quirinal Palace, and legal advisers referencing the Italian Constitution, Conte, a law professor with no prior electoral office, was appointed Prime Minister to lead a coalition that presented a joint contract known as the "government contract" negotiated by Luigi Di Maio and Matteo Salvini.
The cabinet included ministers from the Five Star Movement and the League, alongside independents and technocrats. Prominent appointees included Luigi Di Maio as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development, Labour and Social Policies, Matteo Salvini as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, and Paolo Savona as Minister of European Affairs after a portfolio reshuffle; other figures included Giulia Bongiorno, Alfano Angelino and legal scholars tied to various Italian universities such as Sapienza University of Rome. The coalition relied on parliamentary support from the mixed groups and smaller parties in both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of the Republic, negotiating confidence votes and relying on alliances shaped by leaders such as Giorgia Meloni of Brothers of Italy and external parliamentary dynamics tied to the Movement for Autonomies.
The coalition published a "government contract" outlining priorities: a flat tax proposal advocated by the League, a basic income program championed by the Five Star Movement, pensions reform referencing the Fornero law, and immigration restrictions aligned with Matteo Salvini's agenda. Early legislative actions included the approval of a decree addressing taxation and public spending, measures on migration and ports aligned with policies pursued in ministries such as the Ministry of the Interior (Italy), and the presentation of a budget law that provoked scrutiny from the European Commission and agencies like the International Monetary Fund. The cabinet enacted the "citizens' income" initiative and modified pension rules, while debates in the Constitutional Court of Italy and parliamentary committees shaped implementation.
Domestically, the government prioritized the citizens' income and pension adjustments aimed at repealing the Fornero law, which spurred debates across trade unions including the Italian General Confederation of Labour and business associations such as Confindustria. The League's tax proposals sought to introduce a flat tax affecting fiscal federalism discussions with regions like Lombardy and Sicily, prompting interactions with regional presidents and municipal administrations including Rome's local government. Economic conflict with the European Commission centered on deficit targets, sovereign debt levels linked to the Banca d'Italia's oversight, and market reactions involving sovereign bond yields monitored by agencies such as Moody's and Standard & Poor's.
In foreign policy, the cabinet took a more eurosceptic and sovereignist stance compared to predecessors, signaling shifts in relations with the European Union, the European Commission, and key member states like Germany and France. The government pursued a hardline immigration policy that affected relations with Malta and Libya over migrant rescue operations and port closures, engaging with institutions such as the International Organization for Migration and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Relations with transatlantic partners involved consultations with NATO and debates over commitments to the United States and bilateral ties with countries including Russia and China, notably in the context of the Belt and Road Initiative and investment agreements.
The cabinet faced controversies over proposed appointments, notably the Paolo Savona nomination that triggered the President's intervention, and internal clashes culminating in resignations and high-profile disputes between Luigi Di Maio and Matteo Salvini. Contentious measures such as the migrant policies and the budget standoff with the European Commission led to street protests by organizations including trade unions and civil society groups, and legal challenges in administrative courts like the Council of State (Italy). Scandals and administrative disputes within ministries prompted ministerial changes and reshuffles, while debates over media policy involved interactions with broadcasters such as RAI.
The coalition collapsed in August 2019 when Matteo Salvini withdrew the League from the coalition, triggering a confidence crisis that led to Conte's resignation and the formation of the Conte II Cabinet supported by the Five Star Movement and the Democratic Party (Italy). The legacy of the Conte I Cabinet includes the institutionalization of the citizens' income, shifts in Italian party politics involving the rise of populist movements, ongoing tensions with the European Commission over fiscal policy, and a realignment that affected subsequent elections and coalition strategies involving parties like Forza Italia and Brothers of Italy.
Category:Italian governments Category:2018 establishments in Italy Category:2019 disestablishments in Italy