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Early elections in Italy: divided parties?

With polls giving its far-right party the highest vote, Italian League leader and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini tabled a motion of no confidence in the government on August 8 to call for elections. anticipated and obtain " full powers " (an expression that recalls Mussolini in 1922). On Monday, August 12, the leaders of the parliamentary groups meet in the Senate to decide the date of the vote of this motion which will be decisive for the evolution of the political crisis on the peninsula.

From our correspondent in Rome,

Matteo Salvini calls for a return to the polls as soon as possible. But everything will depend on the result of the vote of his motion of no confidence and the games are not yet made. The vote of the motion will make it possible to check if the Parliament does not have more majority after the defection of the League or if it could have an alternative majority to the previous one. At first, only Luigi di Maio, the former ally of Matteo Salvini, put a flat. The Five Stars are trying to avoid an early poll that could punish their bankruptcy.

Also, the M5S movement wants to pass a bill adopted by Parliament at first reading, which aims to reduce by one third the number of parliamentarians. For constitutional reasons, this would delay elections by at least three months, something Salvini would never accept. But surprise! In recent hours, several representatives of the Democratic Party have voted against early elections as soon as the next autonomous. We are therefore in the most total uncertainty about the outcome of the parliamentary vote.

Why do elected representatives of the PD who do not share the political line of the 5 stars also want to delay elections?

In an interview with the daily Il Corriere della Sera, the former center-left head of government and current senator Matteo Renzi spoke in favor of an institutional government. In particular to seriously prepare the next budget law that requires to find 23 billion euros, under penalty of having to increase the VAT from 22 to 25%.

But in the background, Renzi wants to avoid an early poll because it could reduce the representation of his current on the lists of the Democratic Party. Moreover, the party is divided on the proposal of Renzi. Its leader, Nicola Zingaretti, is for a quick return to the polls, hoping to recover some of his electorate who had chosen the 5-star movement. And other PD members opposed to the current Renzi share his point of view. Finally, on the right-wing opposition side, there are pros and cons. It's a real commedia dell'arte!

And how does Matteo Salvini react? Is he afraid of not winning his challenge?

Matteo Salvini who, remember, is still Minister of the Interior, spends his time for four days on the beaches of southern Italy where he began his election campaign. In turn, we saw him shirtless with a cross around his neck, and then put on a very pop t-shirt, hit by the name of the seaside resorts where he stopped for selfies and walkabouts.

Not always cool for him, because the south remains an electoral basin of 5 stars. But of course, his speeches are filled with insults against his opponents who do not want an immediate election. One feels it quite tense; he is currently credited with 37-39% of voting intentions and he knows that he can now capitalize on his successes due, in large part, to his anti-migrant and anti-NGO policies.

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