Italy is currently governed by a coalition between the populist and anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S), led by foreign minister Luigi di Maio, and the Democratic Party (PD), led by Nicola Zingaretti. The Prime Minister, Giuseppe Conte, was originally appointed in 2018 and returned to the role under this new coalition. Matteo Salvini made a failed attempt to trigger early elections this summer, by withdrawing his party - the League - from its coalition with the M5S. The PD and M5S then agreed to work together, despite previous rivalry, in order to prevent Salvini from founding a far-right governing coalition.
Problems with the
Governing Coalition
There has been a lack of unity in the new coalition government since its conception six weeks prior to the regional elections; the PD and M5S seem to have had a poor start to working together. Their coalition has been described as ‘unlikely’ and currently there appears to be far more unity among the right-wing leaders, with Salvini working together with Giorgia Meloni (leader of the Brothers of Italy) to campaign successfully for these elections in Umbria. This has been the eighth consecutive success for Salvini’s coalition at a regional level; the election result has heightened interest in the upcoming January regional election in Emilia Romagna, another left-wing stronghold.
CURRENT POLITICAL SITUATION IN ITALY
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