Italy Bridge Disaster Shows Faultline in Populist Coalition
- Five Star mostly opposes infrastructure that League supports
- Salvini attacks EU, Di Maio blames private contractors
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The collapse of a 50-year-old highway bridge in northern Italy this week has highlighted the tensions running through the country’s populist coalition.
The anti-establishment Five Star Movement and the anti-immigrant League have so far managed to work together in government in areas where they disagreed during this year’s election campaign, such as limiting immigration, boosting benefits for poorer Italians and simplifying the tax system. When it comes to major infrastructure projects, cohabitation may prove more difficult.