Italy’s transition from one weak government to another

Italy is a country of firsts. In its last national elections in 2018, it produced the first populist government in the heart of Europe. Now that’s given way to the first coalition government in the heart of Europe between a mainstream party and a populist party. Today, two sworn political enemies said they had come to an agreement to form an alliance with one goal: to block the rise of Matteo Salvini, the right-wing, populist interior minister who brought down the government in the hope of triggering a snap election in which his League party would likely place first.

The net result is that Italy has gone from one weak, incoherent government to another weak, incoherent government. But will this likely new government alliance—between the anti-establishment Five Star Movement and the establishment center-left Democratic Party—make Italy more stable, or less? Will it push back the far-right tide, or will teaming up drain both the allies in the new coalition government of political legitimacy and thus present precisely the opening Salvini needs to make a dramatic comeback? …

This new government may already have its days numbered. Salvini is ready.