Italy’s ruling League party said on Thursday the only alternative to the current government was a fresh election, as it ruled out another cabinet reshuffle in the wake of growing policy differences with its coalition partner, 5-Star.
The right-wing party said in a statement it was “useless to go ahead with daily quarrels”, and listed a raft of areas in which it had a “different vision” from 5-Star, including infrastructure, taxes, justice, and relations with the EU.
“Every day that passes is a day wasted,” it said, citing the constant bickering between the two parties.
“For us, the only alternative to this government is to give the choice back to the Italians with new elections.”
“The League note is incomprehensible. They have to clearly state what they want to do. They have to be clear,” 5-Star replied in a statement.
The government looked to be nearing the brink of collapse yesterday, when the Italian Senate rejected a motion by 5-Star to block an alpine rail link with France, paving the way for the long-contested project to continue.
The upper house of parliament rejected 5-Star’s motion by 181 votes to 110.
The 5-Star Movement is the largest party in parliament but it was outvoted by the combined forces of the League and opposition parties from the left and right.
The planned line, meant to connect the Italian city of Turin with Lyon in France, includes a 58-km tunnel through the Alps. It is fiercely opposed by 5-Star but supported by the League and by most other parties in parliament.
League’s leader Matteo Salvini said on Tuesday that tensions with 5-Star meant the government could soon collapse, and the parliamentary debate ahead of Wednesday’s Senate vote exposed the growing gulf between the two parties.
