Italy’s new coalition government between the anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S) and the centre-left Democratic Party (PD) was expected to be unveiled on Wednesday.
Prime Minister-designate, Giuseppe Conte, was due to meet President Sergio Mattarella to present him with a list of ministers.
If the president approves, the list will be made public after the meeting.
According to media reports, M5S leader, Luigi Di Maio, is tipped to become foreign minister, while Roberto Gualtieri, a PD member of the European Parliament, is a strong contender as economy minister.
Another key appointment is at the interior ministry, which, in the outgoing government, was occupied by the far-right leader and migration hardliner, Matteo Salvini.
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He is set to be replaced by a technocrat: Luciana Lamorgese, a high-ranking interior ministry official, or National Police Chief, Franco Gabrielli.
After the list of ministers is announced, a swearing-in would ensue, to be followed within days by votes of confidence on the new government in the two houses of parliament.
The PD and M5S are former bitter rivals, which are joining forces in common opposition to Salvini’s League party, which used to govern with the M5S but broke free of the ruling coalition last month.
The M5S held an online vote among its members on Tuesday, and nearly 80 per cent backed the new alliance.
The alternative would have been early elections, in which Salvini stood to make strong gains.
Italy has frequent government crises.
The new executive is the 66th in 71 years of republican history, with its predecessors lasting on average just under 13 months. (NAN)