Economics

Italy's Establishment Faces Populist Push With No Champion

League, Five Star are polling close to combined 60 percent
Pro-European parties are in retreat since March’s election

The risk of Italy leaving the euro “has been blown out of proportion," says Raffaella Tenconi of ADA Economics.(Source: Bloomberg)

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By John Follain

May 30, 2018 at 3:00 AM UTC

Updated on

May 30, 2018 at 6:12 AM UTC

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The Italian establishment is heading into a showdown against the populists with its armies in disarray.

Former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s center-right Forza Italia has been practically swallowed up by Matteo Salvini’s League since the inconclusive election on March 4, while the center-left Democratic Party of outgoing premier Paolo Gentiloni is still casting around for a way forward after its worst-ever result.