Italy 5 Star calls for June election in bid to resolve coalition

Stefano Montesi | Corbis | Getty Images

The Five Star Movement launched its election campaign on December 7, 2017, in Rome, Italy.

The leader of Italy’s anti-establishment Five Star (M5S) party has called for a fresh election in June to resolve who will govern the country.

Talks to form a coalition government have so far failed following an inconclusive vote in March that saw M5S gain the most votes.

“At this point, for me there is no other solution. We have to go back to the polls as soon as possible,” Luigi Di Maio said in a post on Facebook.

The March 4 election also saw big gains for the center-right alliance led by the anti-immigrant Lega party. The center-left Democratic Party (PD) suffered heavy losses to come third.

Lega is headed by Matteo Salvini, who is also leader of the center-right alliance. In his Facebook post, Di Maio appealed to Salvini to join his push for a snap election in June.

“Since parties are afraid of change, then let the citizens choose between revolution and restoration,” he said.

Di Maio has said previously that he would only strike a coalition with Lega if Salvini dropped his electoral ally Forza Italia, which is led by former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. Salvini has so far resisted that call.