Italy’s coalition, the government made up of the League party and Five Star Movement Party, has crumbled. Matteo Salvini, Italy’s Deputy Minister and Interior Minister, announced that the coalition could no longer continue and has called for snap elections.

Salvini is also the leader of the League party and has tabled a no-confidence vote before the House. The vote will be debated on the 20th of August 2019.

A Rocky Marriage

After the Italian 2018 parliamentary election, no party or group received an outright majority of the vote or enough to form a government.

Following this, weeks of talks and negotiations ensued and, finally, 88 days after the election a coalition government of the Five Star Movement (M5S) and League party was formed. Giuseppe Conte, a law professor, was chosen as Prime Minister, with leaders of both parties – Luigi Di Maio and Matteo Salvini chosen as Deputy Prime ministers.

In the course of the union, both parties have disagreed on several topics, such as, M5S’s election promise of launching a citizen’s income scheme, the League’s plan for a flat tax rate, immigration and who to support as the EU Commission president.

They finally reached a breaking point over a proposed railway line to connect Turin, Italy with Lyon, France. The 58-km tunnel is opposed by M5S over environmental and monetary costs but supported by the League.

Salvini Out

Following the Five Star Movement’s attempt to block the rail project, Salvini announced that the coalition had collapsed over policy differences.

Salvini is aiming for fresh elections. His popularity has doubled since the last election and he may want to take advantage of this crisis to get enough votes to become Prime Minister, himself.