The incoming Italian populist government has confirmed it intends to halt the sale of Alitalia (AZA, Rome Fiumicino) as part of its own economic plan for the Mediterranean's largest economy.
According to a draft proposal seen by Reuters, the new coalition says Alitalia needs to be relaunched for Italy to maintain a "competitive national carrier".
The far-right Lega Nord's economics chief Claudio Borghi has since confirmed that the coalition, which also includes the 5-Star Movement, intends to halt bankrupt Alitalia's sale but stopped short of explicitly stating that the Italian state would move to, again, renationalize it.
The ailing carrier is in the midst of bankruptcy administration and, as part of the process, has thus far secured three bids from, among others, Lufthansa, Wizz Air, and a consortium that includes easyJet and US investment firm Cerberus Capital.
A March deadline for the submission of bids was deferred to October to allow the bidders time to adapt and acclimate to Italy's post-election government.
