Giorgia Meloni has accepted a mandate to form Italy's next government, a presidential official said on Friday, paving the way for her to become the country's first woman prime minister.
Meloni, head of the nationalist Brothers of Italy, lead an alliance of conservative parties to victory at a Sept. 25 election.
"Giorgia Meloni has accepted the mandate and has presented her list of ministers," the presidential official Ugo Zampetti told reporters after Meloni had consulted with President Sergio Mattarella in his palace.
The new government will be formally sworn in on Saturday morning, after which the new government will face confidence votes in both houses of parliament next week.
Meloni names her economy minister
Meloni on Friday named Giancarlo Giorgetti of the League party as her economy minister and said the foreign ministry will go to Antonio Tajani from Forza Italia.
Among other top cabinet posts, the interior ministry goes to Matteo Piantedosi, a career civil servant with no party affiliation, and the defense ministry goes to Guido Crosetto, one of the founders of Brothers of Italy.
In all, nine ministries were handed out to Brothers of Italy politicians, five each to the League and Forza Italia, with technocrats given a further five cabinet posts.
Meloni led an alliance of conservative parties to victory at a Sept. 25 election.