Glimmers of hope as government forms

Italy’s government crisis is over with the coalition sworn in. Scientists hope for better times

After the death of the coalition government on 8 August, Italy’s scientists feared a long political crisis that could undermine the slow and modest recovery of research funding.

This week, a new coalition government was formed by the Five Star Movement and the Democratic Party, under the continued leadership of prime minister Giuseppe Conte. Instead of grabbing power, right-wing Matteo Salvini, who departed from the coalition, finds himself sidelined after his former allies in the Five Star Movement simply refused to call an election, preferring to govern on without him.