About: 5-Star Movement
Italian PM Conte wins confidence vote but loses overall majority
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte survived a vote of confidence Tuesday (19 January) but failed to secure an overall majority in parliament, leaving his ruling coalition severely weakened as it battles the coronavirus pandemic.
Italian PM faces Senate confidence vote as pandemic rages
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte will on Tuesday (19 January) face a vote of confidence in parliament, seeking the Senate's support for his teetering government as it battles a deadly coronavirus pandemic.
Italy plunged into political crisis with ‘all options open’
Italy was plunged into political crisis Wednesday (13 January) after former premier Matteo Renzi withdrew his party from the ruling coalition, risking the collapse of the government in the middle of a raging coronavirus pandemic.
Six die in Italy prison riot over anti-coronavirus measures
Six inmates were killed in a prison riot in Italy and guards were taken hostage at another jail, as unrest spread in prisons across the country over measures to contain the coronavirus, including restrictions on visits.
Brexit redraws European Parliament battle lines
This Friday's (31 January) Brexit and the departure of Britain's MEPs will shake up the balance of power in the European Parliament and could complicate Brussels' reform agenda.
Emilia Romagna voters upset Salvini’s plan to trigger early elections
Italy's populist leader Matteo Salvini appeared to have failed in his bid to win a key regional election and topple the country's fragile coalition government, according to exit polls late Sunday (26 January).
Italy’s Di Maio quits as 5-Star leader in blow to government
Luigi Di Maio stepped down on Wednesday (22 January) as leader of Italy's co-governing 5-Star movement, as it seeks to stem a wave of defections that threatens the government's parliamentary majority.
Italian Sardines square off against Salvini ahead of crucial vote
The "Sardines" grassroots movement protesting against the populism of far-right Italian leader Matteo Salvini staged a mass rally in the northern city of Bologna on Sunday (19 January) ahead of a regional vote that could shake up national politics.
Italy’s constitutional court rejects League’s bid to change electoral law
Italy's Constitutional Court on Thursday (16 January) rejected a request by the hard-right League party to hold a referendum to introduce a first-past-the-post electoral system, triggering the ire of League chief Matteo Salvini and relief in government ranks.
Salvini issues new migrant ban as seeks to derail new coalition
Italy's outgoing interior minister, Matteo Salvini, has banned another migrant-rescue ship from docking in the country, using the issue of immigration to pile pressure on his main two political rivals as they seek to form a new government.
Make or break day in Italy in ‘craziest crisis ever’
Wednesday (28 August) is D-Day for fraught negotiations to form a new Italian government, failing which the eurozone's third largest economy will be forced to hold fresh elections.
Italy’s PD, 5-Star on verge of government deal with Conte as PM
The ruling 5-Star Movement and the opposition Democratic Party appeared on the verge of a deal to form a new Italian government on Monday (26 August) after the PD indicated it had abandoned a veto on Giuseppe Conte serving another term as prime minister.
Italy’s 5-Star, PD talks on new government hit stumbling block over PM Conte
Talks between Italy's anti-establishment 5-Star Movement and the centre-left Democratic Party (PD) to form a new government have hit a stumbling block over the PD's opposition to Giuseppe Conte being reinstated as prime minister.
In setback for 5-Star, Italy’s PM backs completion of rail link with France
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said on Tuesday (23 July) that blocking works on a rail link with France would cost Italy more than completing the infrastructure, taking a stance on an issue that has divided the government coalition for months.
Von der Leyen vote may trigger snap elections in Italy
Italy's two ruling parties clashed on Wednesday (18 July) over the election of German Ursula von der Leyen as the next president of the European Commission in a vote that could endanger Rome's hopes of securing a top job in the new EU executive.
Putin, visiting Italy, says wants Rome to help mend Moscow-EU ties
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday (4 July) he hoped Italy would battle to restore fully fledged relations between the European Union and Russia and help persuade the bloc's new leadership that sanctions on Moscow were counter-productive.
Italian PM Conte says he will resign if coalition squabbles persist
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said Monday (3 June) he was ready to resign unless the two parties in the governing populist coalition -- the League and the Five Star Movement -- stopped squabbling.
5-Star members back Di Maio to stay after EU election rout
Italy’s anti-establishment 5-Star Movement on Thursday (30 May) resoundingly backed Luigi Di Maio to carry on as leader following a bruising defeat in European parliamentary elections. Di Maio got the backing of 80% of the 56,127 5-Star members who voted...
Facebook takes down fake Italian accounts ahead of EU election
Facebook said on Sunday (12 May) it had taken down numerous Italian accounts on its platform that were false or were spreading fake news ahead of a European parliamentary election later this month.
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.