Italian Populists Sideline Mainstream as They Vie for Premiership
- Di Maio, Salvini lead negotiations after parliament votes
- President Mattarella due to start talks with parties April 3
This article is for subscribers only.
After outmaneuvering establishment parties to emerge as lead negotiators in Italy’s search for a new government, the populist pair Luigi Di Maio and Matteo Salvini seek to win enough support this week to justify their rival claims for the premiership.
Di Maio of the Five Star Movement and Salvini of the anti-migrant League, each short of a majority after the March 4 general elections, worked together to successfully sideline both Salvini’s center-right ally Silvio Berlusconi and the ruling Democratic Party in votes for parliamentary speakers.