Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said that the leader of the ruling League party, Matteo Salvini, must explain to Italians why he wants to bring down the coalition government.

Salvini, who is deputy prime minister and interior minister, on Thursday said that the coalition with the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement had broken down and he called for new elections.

“It is not up to the interior minister to convene parliament or fix the agenda of a political crisis,” Conte said, vowing to go before parliament to ensure “the crisis (Salvini) has unleashed is the most transparent in the history of the republic”.

In his brief statement from the prime minister’s office, Conte, who is close to 5-Star, said he would no longer accept Salvini’s attacks on his ministers and accused him of relying on “slogans” to drum up support.

Via Reuters/Financial Times/ La Repubblica/ ANSA