Salvini: If 5-Stars Quit Gov't There Should Be Snap Election

Leader of the right-wing League, former Deputy PM Matteo Salvini, has stated that his party will not stay in gov't if the populist 5-Star Movement (M5S) quits the coalition of PM Mario Draghi.

• With a confidence vote on the Draghi gov'ts COVID-19 aid package taking place on Thursday, Salvini has stated that should M5S not back the gov't, a snap election should take place.
• The National Council of the 5-Stars is meeting presently in Rome to decide whether to back the aid package in tomorrow's Senate vote.
• Current opinion polling shows that were an election held tomorrow, a right-wing coalition of the nationalist Brothers of Italy (FdI), the League, and the centre-right Forza Italia of former PM Silvio Berlusconi would likely be able to command a majority in the Italian Parliament. With the FdI likely to emerge as the largest party, leader Giorgia Meloni would be in a good position to become the next Italian PM.
• Should be noted that a snap election so close to the official end of the parliament's term (June 2023) may prove an unpopular prospect. If the parliament does not fulfill its full term deputies and senators will not receive a pension when they retire. Those representatives that see their seats at risk may prove very reluctant to bring down the Draghi gov't and risk an election so close to the end of the term.