"We must close on Monday 15th, with a consortium between all the actors interested in relaunching the new Alitalia", Di Maio said in a video posted on Facebook.

Di Maio, who is also leader of the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement, added that the infrastructure group Atlantia was free to make a proposal on Alitalia, but that any such initiative would not have any connection with his intention to revoke its motorway concession.

The 5-Star has publicly blamed Atlantia for the collapse last year of a bridge operated by one of its units that killed 43 people and has threatened to revoke its motorway concession, which accounts for a third of its core profit.

Atlantia has always denied any wrongdoing.