European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker on Friday texted congratulations to Italy's premier Giuseppe Conte, whom head of state Sergio Mattarella has asked to try and form a centre-left-populist government.
"President Juncker contacted Prime Minister Conte to send him his warmest congratulations," Commission spokeswoman Mina Andreeva told a press briefing in Brussels.
"He also sent Conte his best wishes for the formation of the new government, underlining the important role that Italy plays within the European Union family and the European project," Andreeva said.
Juncker's staff failed to place calls to Conte on Thursday when he began a round of consultations with Italy's political parties - a process expected to last several days at least.
Juncker, 64, has publicly confessed his aversion to smartphones and prefers older-generation mobiles.
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