Renzi Presser This Evening As Gov't Teeters On Brink

A significant press conference set to take place this evening in Italy as the country's political crisis comes to a head.

• Firstly, former PM and centrist Italia Viva (IV( party leader Matteo Renzi will speak alongside his party's minsiters in gov't at 1730CET (1130ET, 1630GMT). This press conference is likely going to be used to put pressure on PM Giuseppe Conte, with the risk that the IV ministers resign from his gov't.
• Following this, Conte and his gov't are due to hold a meeting at 2030CET (1230ET, 1930GMT).
• It is important to note that the resignation of Renzi's ministers from the Conte gov't does not necessarily mean the withdrawal of the party's support in the legislature (the latter of which would risk a snap election).
• Renzi's party continues to perform poorly in opinion polls, meaning a snap election may not be in his best interest. There remains the chance that the gov't does fall due to miscalculation on behalf of one or more players within the governing coalition.
• The most likely outcome at present seems to be a continuation of the Conte gov't with a reshuffle of Cabinet ministers. This gov't would be inherently extremely unstable due to the limited numbers of parties forming it and the sustained disintegration of the 5-Star Movement, the largest party in gov't.