Giuseppe Conte surrenders mandate to form new Italian government

Lawyer, 53, admits defeat after talks with the president over his cabinet collapse

ROME, Italy — Italy’s prime ministerial candidate Giuseppe Conte on Sunday gave up his mandate to form a government, after talks with the president over his cabinet collapsed.

“I have given up my mandate to form the government of change,” said Conte to reporters after leaving failed talks with President Sergio Mattarella.

Conte thanked the president and the leaders of the Five Star Movement and the League seeking to form a coalition government, “for having put me up as a candidate.”

“I can assure you that I have given the maximum effort and maximum attention to carrying out this task, and I can assure you that I have done so in a climate of full collaboration with the representatives of the political forces that made me a candidate,” Conte said.

Conte, 53, a lawyer and political novice, was named as prime minister on Wednesday, but he still had to present a list of ministers that the head of state agreed to, before his mandate could become fully effective and his government could seek approval in parliament.