Italy’s center-left Democratic Party (PD) and the Five Star Movement (M5S), which some describe as anti-establishment and right-wing, struck an unlikely coalition in a bid to take down Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini and his Northern League Party, which also shares right-wing views, CNN reported Wednesday.
The two rival parties entered coalition talks after Italy’s ruling alliance of M5S and the League crumbled after months of infighting.
Last week, Italy’s Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte resigned from office, reportedly seeking to evade a vote of no confidence initiated by Salvini. The leaders of the newly-formed coalition have now turned to Italy’s president Sergio Mattarella, telling him that Conte should be reinstated as head of the government.
According to presidential spokesman Giovanni Grasso, Conte was invited to meet with Mattarella Thursday morning. He is expected to be given a mandate to form a new government, CNN says.
Salvini lashed out at the new coalition, saying it is only kept in place because of the two parties’ hatred for the Northern League.
"The only thing that unites them (M5S and PD) is their hatred of the League," Salvini told reporters on Wednesday. "The truth is that 60 million Italians are being held hostage by 100 parliamentarians who are dead scared of losing their seats."
A coalition deal must first be approved by party members in an online vote, which is projected to take place before the end of the week, M5S leader Luigi Di Maio explained.