April, 2018 in Rome. Matteo Salvini, League Party secretary, during a second round of consultations of political parties for the formation of the new government at the Quirinal Palace. Giuseppe Ciccia/ Press Association. All rights reserved.A new Italian government is in the making, with an unprecedented alliance between the Five Stars Movement (33% of votes in the March 2018 elections; 36% of seats in the House of Deputies) and the Lega (17% of votes; 20% of seats). The view that ‘populist barbarians have conquered Rome’ is a gross misunderstanding. Lega has already governed for nine years in Berlusconi governments supporting every neoliberal policy that has favoured finance, business and the European integration they now criticise.
The Five Stars are ready to compromise on everything with anyone – Washington, Brussels, business, finance, the military – for their turn in power, knowing that their large support is at best temporary. The result – rhetoric aside – is that pro-rich neoliberal policies dominate the new government agenda, tinted with a shade of populism, offering modest pro-poor and harsh anti-immigrant action. Lib-pop politics is how we might describe Italy’s new political experiment. The Five Stars are ready to compromise on everything with anyone... knowing that their large support is at best temporary.
