The French Foreign Ministry slammed Di Maio on Wednesday for his meeting with Christophe Chalençon, one of the "yellow vests" leaders.
"This new provocation is not acceptable between neighbouring countries and partners in the European Union", a Foreign Ministry spokesman said at a daily online briefing. "Mr Di Maio, who holds government responsibilities, must take care not to undermine, through his repeated interferences, our bilateral relations, in the interest of both France and Italy".
READ MORE: 'A New Europe is Being Born': Senior Italian Officials Hail Yellow Vests
Commenting on the event, Di Maio's press service noted that M5S and the French protesters share many views and values concerning direct democracy, the social rights of citizens, and ecological issues.