Italy's Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte told President Sergio Mattarella that he is in position to form a new government, which will be sworn in on Thursday, a presidential official said on Wednesday. 

Conte on Wednesday named Five Star Movement leader Luigi Di Maio as foreign minister and Roberto Gualtieri as finance minister in a new crisis-busting government.  
Former Deputy Prime Minister Di Maio, pro-European economist Gualtieri and the rest of the government will be sworn in on Thursday at 0800 GMT, ending a nearly month-long crisis.  

Lawyer and former Milan security chief Luciana Lamorgese will take over from far-right leader Matteo Salvini, who prompted the crisis, as interior minister.  

Deputy Democratic Party (PD) leader Lorenzo Guerini will be the new defense minister, Conte said.

Salvini, now sidelined in opposition, called the new administration "a government produced by Paris and Berlin, born out of fear to give up power, without dignity or ideals, with the wrong people in the wrong places."

As the alliance looked to broaden its slender Senate majority, the cabinet included Roberto Speranza, who was given the health portfolio. Speranza is a senior figure in the leftist LEU party, meaning it will become part of the coalition.

Five Star and PD unveiled a shared, 26-point policy program on Tuesday, putting an expansionary 2020 budget at the top of their agenda but pleasing markets with a pledge that it would not endanger public finances. 

Emphasizing social justice, the two parties pledged to introduce a minimum salary, avoid a VAT hike scheduled for January and boost spending on education, research and welfare.