Italy's 5-Star Movement seeks mandate to govern

ROME (Reuters) - The populist 5-Star Movement of ex-comic Beppe Grillo has asked President Giorgio Napolitano for the mandate to form an Italian government, a party official said on Thursday. "The 5-Star Movement was first in number of votes and the primary political force in the recent elections. For this reason we officially ask to be allowed to form a government to start our programme," the head of the movement's parliamentary group, Roberta Lombardi, told reporters after meeting Napolitano. ...