BREAKTHROUGH IN ITALY:  THE MOST 'OUTSIDER' PARTIES MOVE TO FORM A NEW GOVERNMENT

"Italy's anti-establishment Five Star Movement and the right-wing League party say they have made significant steps to forming a government, more than two months after a general election..."

BBC News report May 10th, 2018

"Let me say I've worked with both of these parties in the European Parliament.  Both of these groups and I've been president of those groups and these people have served with me and I really want to see this coalition forming......."

Nigel Farage on "The Nigel Farage Show"-LBC May 10th, 2018

There was an "inconclusive" result in Italy's general election on March 4th with the standard 'coalitions' of the 'Left' and 'Right' failing, especially the 'Left' one which had ruled the country.

But emerging with the greatest percentage of the popular vote were the political outsiders of the Five Star Movement founded by stand up comedian Beppe Grillo.

Attempts to form a new government had faltered with the "Right" coaltion leader Silvio Berlusconi balking at the notion of his coalition governing with Five Star.

But now Berlusconi has relented to allow The League, a pro-free market European Union skeptic party in his coalition, to move forward and join Five Star in efforts to form a new government.

Italian President Sergio Mattarella has given the two parties until Sunday to form a government, but not without offering some critical remarks saying it would be wrong 'to look to 19th Century solutions' to deal with '21st Century problems'.

Italian markets fell at the prospect of such a new government being formed with business elites fearful of anti-EU policies and the Five Star's promotion of 'income support' for poor Italians living in the South of the country.

But The League has a strong pro-business position including promotion of a 15 percent flat tax rate which would benefit big business.

On paper, the coalition of the 5 SM and League commands majorities in both houses of Italy's parliament (352 of 630 in the lower, 170 of 315 in the upper).

Links below........


BBC News story 5/10

The Nigel Farage Show 5/10 (Italy Discussion at 12:24)