Many League politicians have urged Salvini to quit the year-old coalition and seek an early vote, complaining that they can no longer work with their government partner, the 5-Star Movement, which is holding up projects close to their heart.

The Italian official, who declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the issue, said Mattarella wanted Italy to have a government in place in October in order for it to approve the 2020, budget.

This meant that any eventual election would have to be held by early October, or else at the start of next year, the source said.