About: 5-Star Movement
Italy’s Democratic Party leans left under new leader Zingaretti
Supporters of Italy's fractured centre-left opposition Democratic Party (PD) on Sunday (3 March) elected Nicola Zingaretti as new leader, an ex-communist son of a bank manager who will now take on the ruling populist coalition led by the far-right Lega.
The Five Star Movement’s attempt to create a European Parliament group
Leaders of 5 parties from Italy, Poland, Croatia, Finland and Greece met in Rome last week to sign an electoral manifesto. Piotr Kaczyński has followed the event and offers his impressions and comments.
Italy’s populist leaders pledge to replace central bank’s top brass
Italy's populist leaders on Saturday (9 February) promised to replace top officials at the country's central bank, who they said must pay for failing to prevent a spate of banking scandals in which thousands lost their savings.
France says ‘unacceptable’ that Italy’s Di Maio met ‘yellow vests’
The French foreign ministry on Wednesday (6 February) denounced as "unacceptable" a meeting between Italy's Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio and France's "yellow vest" anti-government protesters.
Macron says ‘won’t respond’ to populist Italian leaders
French President Emmanuel Macron said Sunday (27 January) that he will not respond to criticism by populist Italian leaders Luigi Di Maio and Matteo Salvini because their words are of "no interest".
France summons Italian envoy over Di Maio Africa comments
France has summoned Italy's ambassador to protest against comments by Italian Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio, who accused Paris of continuing to colonise Africa and causing people to migrate from the continent, a government source told AFP.
Italian minister Di Maio shows support for French ‘yellow vests’
Luigi Di Maio, the Italian deputy prime minister and leader of the 5-Star Movement (M5S), likened the French ‘yellow vests’ to his own political movement. Moreover, he openly criticised the French government. EURACTIV France reports.
Salvini says Commission approved the Italian budget
Italy has done a deal with the European Commission over its contested 2019 budget, a spokeswoman at the Economy Ministry said on Tuesday (18 December), signaling an end to weeks of wrangling that had shaken financial markets.
Italy’s Di Maio warns against party divisions after TAP pipeline U-turn
Italian Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio called on Monday (29 October) for unity within his 5-Star Movement after the anti-establishment party was forced to renege on an electoral pledge to halt a major, international gas transport project.
Italian populist government braces for EU budget rejection
The Italian government expects the European Commission to decide for the first time ever on Tuesday (23 October) to ask a member state to revise its draft budget, a government source said on Sunday.
Italy dismisses concern the EU will reject its budget plan
The Italian government on Thursday (4 October) dismissed concerns that the European Commission would reject its plan to raise deficit spending next year and signalled that it would not backtrack, even under market pressure.
Juncker raps Italy for putting euro at risk, Di Maio denounces fiscal ‘terrorism’
A war of words took place days after Rome announced a big spending boost in defiance of the European Union that has spooked the markets and has EU capitals fearing a return of the debt crisis.
Weakened Italian socialists try to bounce back
Tens of thousands of Italians rallied in Rome Sunday (30 September) for the centre-left Democratic Party (PD) as it seeks to rebound from a shock defeat to a populist coalition in June.
Italy defies Brussels with budget deficit at 2.4%
Italy's government on Thursday (27 September) targeted the budget deficit at 2.4% of gross domestic product for the next three years, defying Brussels and marking a victory for party chiefs over economy minister Giovanni Tria, an unaffiliated technocrat.
‘Fake News Foa’: Italy’s state broadcaster appoints chair with chequered past
The Italian state broadcaster, Rai, has appointed a Eurosceptic journalist with a history of publicising fake news as its new president.
Italy’s Di Maio threatens to punish unfriendly newspapers
Luigi Di Maio, a key figure in Italy's populist government, has taken aim at the country's newspapers, accusing them of "polluting the debate" and threatening to pull advertising by state-owned companies.
Italy on collision course with EU over budget deficit
Party leaders in the Italian coalition government signalled they will seek leeway from the EU to increase next year's budget deficit, heading on a collision course with the European Commission and investors who want it cut.
Oettinger warns Italy not to block EU budget talks
It is in no one's interest to hold up budget negotiations at the European Union, the bloc's budget chief warned Tuesday (28 August) after Italy threatened a blockade over the migrant issue.
Salvini and Orbán launch anti-immigration manifesto ahead of EU elections
Hungary’s illiberal Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Italy's hardline Interior Minister Matteo Salvini launched Tuesday (28 August) an anti-migration manifesto aiming at next year's European parliament elections, targeting a common enemy.
Italy threatens to veto EU’s long-term budget over migration crisis
Italy's Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio on Monday (27 August) threatened to veto the European Union's seven-year budget plan should the bloc not do more to share the burden of migrant arrivals.
‘EU is filth’, Salvini lashes out as tensions between Rome and Brussels grow
Although the 150 migrants stranded on the Diciotti rescue ship were able to disembark on Sunday (26 August), Italy’s firebrand Interior Minister Matteo Salvini engaged in another vilification of the EU, calling it “filth” and reiterating threats to stop EU funding.
Commission hardens the tone with Italy, says will not bow to threats
The European Commission said on Friday (24 August) it will not bow to threats such as those made by Italian deputy prime minister Luigi Di Maio, who warned his country could stop paying into the EU budget unless other member states agreed to take in migrants held on a coastguard ship in Sicily.
Italy to suspend EU funding unless others take in migrants
The European Commission has called a meeting today (25 August) after Italian Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio said his party would vote to suspend funding to the EU unless other member states agreed to take in migrants being held on a coastguard ship in Sicily.