Talks on a possible coalition government between Five-Star Movement and the centre-left Democratic Party (PD) had a "positive outcome" and "dialogue is underway", lower house of parliament speaker Roberto Fico said on Thursday.
"The mandate given me by Italy's president (Sergio Mattarella) which ended today has had a positive outcome and dialogue is underway between Five-Star and the PD," Fico said after reporting back to Mattarella.
In the coming days, "internal dialogue" was due to take place within the PD over the possible tie-up with Five-Star, Fico added.
"I believe it is important, reasonable and responsible to keep at the forefront the issues and programmes that all Italians are most interested in," said Fico, who is a member of Five-Star - now Italy's largest party.
After meeting Fico on earlier on Thursday, the PD's acting leader Maurizio Martina said there had been "important steps forward" but "difficulties and differences" remained between his party and Five-Star.
The PD leadership will convene on 3 May to mull entering a coalition government with Five-Star, Martino said.
Di Maio on Thursday repeated his call for a German-style "contract" as a basis for a coalition. "It will be a total novelty and will signal a break with the governments of the past," he said.
"We want to solve the problems that have not been resolved in the last 30 years," Di Maio stated after meeting Fico.
Mattarella, who has struggled to end the political stalemate since the inconclusive 4 March national election, on Monday gave Fico three days to hold talks with Five-Star and the PD and report back to him with his findings.
The PD had vowed to go into opposition after the centre-left coalition came a poor third in last month's ballot but has enough seats in the hung parliament to play kingmaker in the formation of a new government. It had previously ruled Italy since 2013.
