ROME – The leader of Italy's 5-Star Movement is insisting on becoming the country's premier without offering specifics on ending postelection political gridlock.
Luigi Di Maio, whose movement won 32 percent of the March 4 vote, said at a news conference Tuesday that his lawmakers were "open to a deal" with other parties on policy issues.
But he was evasive about what he'd be willing to give during such negotiations and held firm on insisting that he become the 5-Stars' first premier.
Di Maio added: "We're unwilling to betray the popular will" by not heading the next Italian government.
The 5-Star Movement received the most votes of any single party in Italy's March 4 parliamentary election, but not enough to govern alone. A center-right bloc got 37 percent of the vote.
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