Lawmakers for the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S) told new President Sergio Mattarella to watch out for the government's "dirty tricks" after his election on Saturday.
"A wish of good work to the new head of State," read a statement by the M5S lawmakers, who did not join other parties in applauding when the 73-year was elected.
"What's needed is someone who takes the helm, keeps his
back straight in the face in the many dirty tricks that this
government will try to carry out and is a real defender of the
Constitution and representative of national unity".
The M5S was extremely critical of Mattarella's predecessor
Giorgio Napolitano, saying he was not a fair arbiter of Italian
politics, and staged an unsuccessful bid to have him impeached.
The M5S's presidential candidate, magistrate Ferdinando
Imposimato came second with 127 votes in the crucial fourth
presidential ballot.
In a post published on the M5S leader Beppe Grillo's blog,
jurist Aldo Giannuli described Mattarella's election as a
"modest victory", after predictions that the candidate would be
the result of a deal between Premier Matteo Renzi and Forza
Italia leader Silvio Berlusconi had proven mistaken.
Giannuli said Mattarella was a "highly respectable
person".
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