Italian Giorgetti says he will become economy minister if asked by the party

By Angelo Amante

ROME (Reuters) – Giancarlo Giorgetti, a former industry minister and deputy leader of the right-wing Lega party, said on Thursday he would be economy minister in Italy’s nascent government if asked by Lega leader Matteo Salvini.

A right-wing coalition led by Giorgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy group has been struggling to agree on cabinet positions since its easy victory in the September 25 election, with the key economic post proving particularly hard to fill.

Giorgetti, seen as one of the league’s most moderate pro-European figures, has emerged as the front runner for the post, which was initially widely expected to go to a technocrat in a bid to calm financial markets.

“If the Lega wants me in the Economy Ministry, that’s where I’ll go,” Giorgetti told reporters in Parliament, a departure from earlier, more cautious statements. Earlier on Thursday, he had told Reuters he wasn’t sure he was up to the task.

Meloni, who is on track to become Italy’s first female prime minister after Italy’s brothers outperformed their coalition partners in the election, will not formally appoint her cabinet team before October 20.

Giorgetti, first elected to Parliament in 1996, was Minister for Industry in the outgoing Mario Draghi government and served for ten years as President of the House of Commons Budget Committee.

Asked by Reuters early Thursday if he would be ready to become business secretary, he replied: “When you are asked to do something, think and ask yourself if you would be able to do it. I don’t know if I could do it.” could become Minister for Economic Affairs.”

If he gets the job, he’ll have a daunting task of delivering on the coalition’s tax cut promises without skyrocketing Italy’s massive public debt, amounting to around 150% of state production.

It also has to contend with record high inflation and soaring energy costs, which are hurting businesses and families.

The Treasury Department forecast last month that the euro zone’s third-largest economy contracted in the third quarter and will continue to contract into the second quarter of next year.

A senior league lawmaker, who asked not to be named, told Reuters late Thursday that it was now “extremely likely” that the coalition would pick Giorgetti for the post.

(Additional reporting by Giselda Vagnoni, writing by Gavin Jones, editing by Chizu Nomiyama)