Former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi said he would allow the formation of a populist coalition government between his ally the far-right League and the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement, according to media reports.
Berlusconi, who leads the Forza Italia party that is part of the League's center-right alliance, said in a statement that he would respect the choice of "another political force" in the alliance to forge a coalition with 5-Star, Bloomberg News reported.
Berlusconi said he would not veto such a government and that he would back measures that are consistent with the center-right bloc's platform.
The green light from Berlusconi could end weeks of political uncertainty that followed Italy's inconclusive parliamentary elections in March. 5-Star said it was ready to form a government with the euro-skeptic League if it abandoned Berlusconi, according to Reuters.
Italian President Sergio Mattarella's press office said the League and 5-Star have asked for another 24 hours to hold negotiations on a potential agreement for a new government, Italian news agency Ansa reported.
The League's center-right alliance won the most seats in the elections while 5-Star emerged as the biggest individual party.
