Little-known lawyer is confirmed at Italy's new Prime Minister despite CV scandal as president gives him the go-ahead to form government with far-right and anti-establishment parties

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Far-right and anti-establishment parties will govern Italy led by a scandal-plagued little-known lawyer after stunning elections.

Giuseppe Conte was approved as prime minister by President Sergio Mattarella with a mandate for form government with his rag-tag coalition on Wednesday. 

The 53-year-old won election despite a brewing scandal about his claims to have studied at some of the world's top universities including Cambridge.

Far-right and anti-establishment parties will govern Italy led by scandal-plagued little-known lawyer Giuseppe Conte after stunning elections

Doubts about his CV almost derailed his candidacy and delayed talks with President Mattarella, but he ultimately prevailed.

'I'm aware of the necessity to confirm Italy's place, both in Europe and internationally,' Mr Conte said after his approval.

His coalition planned a radical slate of economic policies including drastic tax cuts, a monthly basic income that will cost the budget €17 billion (£14.9 billion), and pension reform rollbacks.

The government programme, announced on Friday, also planned to speed up expulsions of illegal immigrants and crack down on trafficking.

Nearly 700,000 people landed in Italy since the migrant crisis exploded in 2013.

Mr Conte was approved as prime minister by President Sergio Mattarella (left) with a mandate for form government with his rag-tag coalition on Wednesday

Doubts about his CV almost derailed his candidacy and delayed talks with President Mattarella (left), but he ultimately prevailed

Mr Conte's government was also seen as highly eurosceptic, particularly in choosing Paolo Savona as economy minister.

Minister for industry between 1993-94, he was staunchly opposed to signing the Maastricht Treaty and said he considered the euro currency a 'German cage'.

His planned appointment, and the coalition's victory, was mat with dismay by European leaders.

EU officials voiced concern that Italy could trigger a new eurozone crisis by refusing to stick to public spending and debt targets set by Brussels.

Pierre Moscovici, EU Economic Affairs Commissioner, said Italy must deliver a 'credible' response on how it will reduce its debt, the eurozone's second largest in proportion to GDP.

'We judge governments as governments not on what they announce but on what they will do. European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said.

'But we remain attentive to safeguard the rights of the Africans who are in Italy.' 

Far-right 5-Star Movement leader Di Maio shakes hands with Giuseppe Conte in Rome on March 1 when he was declared the coalition's candidate for prime minister

Mr Di Maio backed a plan to speed up expulsions of illegal immigrants and crack down on trafficking

Conte's appointment could herald an end to more than two months of political uncertainty in the eurozone's third-biggest economy.

But he must now finalise his cabinet, the subject of days of tough negotiations between the anti-establishment Five Star Movement and the far-right League.

The list of ministerial candidates must then be endorsed by head-of-state President Mattarella before it can seek parliamentary approval.

Italian media reported League chief Matteo Salvini would become interior minister and Five Star leader Luigi Di Maio have the economic development ministry.

Mr Conte's CV scandal would likely not completely go away either, as some of the numerous top universities denied him ever being a student.

In a CV posted on the website of a lawyers' association, Mr Conte said he 'furthered his juridical studies' at Yale, New York University, Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, the Sorbonne in Paris, and Cambridge.

Mr Conte arrives at the Quirinale presidential palace in Rome to meet with President Mattarella on Wednesday

Members of the Italian elite military unit Cuirassiers' Regiment, who are honour guards for the Italian president, stand guard during consultations with Mr Conte and Mr Mattarella

NYU said its records did not 'reflect Giuseppe Conte having been at the university as a student or having an appointment as a faculty member'.

It said he was granted permission to conduct research in the institution's law library between 2008 and 2014.

Duquesne University said he attended as part of an affiliation with Villa Nazareth, an exchange programme, and did legal research but 'was not enrolled as a student'.

Mr Conte has yet to speak out publicly about the affair, but has been staunchly defended by both Di Maio and Salvini.

Salvini said Italy should 'go back to the polls' if their proposed government did not get the go-ahead.