Italy's president summons Conte for talks on forming govt

ROME (AP) — Italy's president summoned Giuseppe Conte for consultations Wednesday to see if the law professor tapped by the euroskeptic 5-Star Movement and League as their candidate for premier has what it takes to try to form a government.

After more than two months of political deadlock and amid market concerns that Europe's third-largest economy is taking a populist plunge, the office of President Sergio Mattarella announced Conte had been summoned for a meeting Wednesday afternoon.

The two populist blocs had proposed Conte as their compromise candidate for premier after inconclusive March 4 national elections led to a hung parliament, with the anti-establishment 5-Stars and anti-immigrant League emerging as the biggest winners.