Italian Gov't Not Planning to Hold Referendum on Leaving Eurozone - Deputy PM

A referendum on Italy's withdrawal from the euro is not in the governing coalition’s contract and is not on the agenda, Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the 5-Star Movement Luigi Di Maio said in an interview to Corriere della Sera.

"This topic interests us, but it does not figure in the government contract [on the formation of the coalition]. The current government will not put this idea into practice and will not pursue it," Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio stated. 

At the same time, he confirmed the government's readiness to reform the parliament, reducing the number of seats in both chambers.

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte and Economy Minister Giovanni Tria have both confirmed that the government has no intention of leading Italy out of the euro.

READ MORE: IMF's Lagarde: Joint Eurozone Budget Should Be Conditional

Di Maio is at the helm of the populist Five Star Movement that is currently in power in a coalition along with the right-wing Lega (League) party.

Italy's Five Star Movement (M5S) actively criticizes the EU in its current form and periodically argues that Italians should decide during a vote whether they want to stay in the euro zone.

In late May, the first attempt of the new Italian parliament to form a government failed as President Sergio Mattarella rejected the candidature of Paolo Savona as Minister of Economy and Finances due to his harsh criticism of the euro. After a heated dispute, a government was formed and Savona was appointed Minister of European Affairs.