Italian PM to announce his decision to resign today

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte will announce his decision to resign today amid a political crisis in the country, the statement by the presidency of the council reads.

"The Council of Ministers will be convened tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. [08:00 GMT], during which the prime minister, Giuseppe Conte, will communicate to the ministers his will to go to the Quirinale [presidential palace] to hand in his resignation. Afterwards, prime minister, Conte will go to the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella," the statement says.

The resignation is expected to be a technical step in order to try to form a new government afterwards with bigger parliamentary support.

Last week, Conte won the backing of the senate in the confidence vote with a slim margin. He received a simple majority of votes (156), which is what the constitution technically requires, but failed to secure an absolute majority of 161 senators, which makes it difficult for him to actually govern and bring through the parliament certain legislative acts.

Since last week, Conte has been looking for the support of a new parliamentary group collecting members of various centrist parties in order to reinforce his parliamentary support.

On Thursday, the current government is facing the first real test, as the parliament will vote on the report by Justice Minister Alfonso Bonafede on the state of justice in the country. Italia Viva party has already announced it would reject the report. (/Sputnik)

( With inputs from ANI )