Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1159832
13 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 25 AUGUST 2019 NEWS election or an experiment? metrically opposed views on taxation, welfare, civil liberties and infrastructural projects. Beppe Grillo himself shared his initial battles against cor- porate crime and against the privatisation of water with green and left-wing activists. But in his resignation speech, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte expressed deep unease with Salvini's political cul- ture, attacking him for obses- sively using religious symbols for political propaganda and for his latent authoritarian- ism. This may suggest that the M5S, which is close to Conte, is moving away from Salvini's brand of populism, even if it was not entirely alien to it. A lurch to the left? The question remains: can a common ground be reached between the M5S and the Democrats? The left wing in the PD may cosy up to some of the M5S ideas, particularly citizenship income and the reversal of la- bour market reforms devised by their own party in govern- ment. But more centrist ele- ments close to former premier Matteo Renzi are lukewarm. Former premier and Forza Italia leader Silvio Berlusconi claims the chemistry between the PD and M5S could lead to Italy's most left-wing govern- ment ever. The reality is more complex than Berlusconi's simplistic distaste for the left, as both parties are ridden with deep contradictions in a con- text where the Italian left is weaker than ever. In fact, the Lega's advan- tage is that it has created a hegemony on the cen- tre-right, coming across to the electorate as more united and clearer in its intentions. Salvini turned a northern separatist par- ty with right- wing inclina- tions into a wet dream for the socially conserva- tive, those who want a regressive flat tax, those who detest immigrants, and who see Euro- pean regulations as an inconvenience. So while the M5S's Luigi Di Maio and the PD's Nicola Zin- garetti have formally backed negotiations between their re- spective parties, it remains to be seen how enthusiastic they are for a deal committing the two parties into a long-term legislative pact. Zingaretti has made it clear that the al- ternative to a durable reform- ist government are elections. Probably at this juncture it is the M5S that has more to lose if the country goes to the polls – it could lose its dominance while the PD, warts and all, would emerge as a stronger Opposi- tion. But do they really want a deal? Z i n g a r e t t i has also i m p o s e d a number of condi- tions which reportedly in- clude the withdrawal of Salvini's decrees on im- migration, as well as link- ing the reduction of par- liamentarians to a wider electoral reform. Di Maio has also imposed conditions, which include a clear commitment on a reduc- tion in the number of MPs. This raises the question: are the two leaders raising the stakes too high for a deal to succeed? The two leaders know the only way to take the wind out of Salvini's sail is to govern well together, and improve the living standards and prospects of the Italian people. Italy's President Sergio Mattarella seems to have endorsed this line of thinking, giving both parties five days to come up with a deal for a new majority. If this fails the M5S may well face the bitter choice of a humiliating rapprochement with Salvini, or face an elec- tion which could see them downgraded from first to third largest party. Mattarella could also end up appointing an institutional government which would take the country to an election next year, after presenting a budget aimed at avoiding an increase in VAT, leaving Italians even more im- poverished. But this would well mean the return of Salvini to govern- ment. Kick Salvini out: can the centre- left's Nicola Zingaretti (left) and the M5S minister Luigi di Maio forge a deal to keep Italy's government on the straight and narrow? Matteo Salvini (below) hopes failure will push Italy to elections to return him as prime minister 'with full powers'