Giuseppe Conte targeted by Covid procurement probe and political intercept allegations

Italy's Covid-19 parliamentary inquiry heard allegations that a law firm linked to former premier Giuseppe Conte received a €454,000 payment for a consultancy that was never performed. Fratelli d'Italia described the arrangement as part of a "rotten system" and demanded explanations, while the Five Star Movement warned it would sue those continuing the accusations.

Separate reports cite an intercepted conversation suggesting Guido Alpa assisted Conte's rise within the Five Star Movement, implying coordinated efforts to take control of the party from founder Beppe Grillo. Conte rejected the claims as "arbitrary and fictitious", defended Alpa, and labelled the allegations as baseless.