Italy left in limbo after election
ITALY is in limbo after two populist parties claimed the right to rule following general election gains.
The Five Star Movement topped the poll with 32.6% of the vote.
But the eurosceptic League party surged to 17.4%, overtaking Silvio Berlusconi’s right-wing Forza Italia on 14%.
Both Five Star and the League said they would battle to take control, setting the scene for weeks of horse-trading to form a coalition.
Former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi’s leftleaning Democratic Party got just 18.7% in Sunday’s election.
League leader
Matteo Salvini declared: “We have the right and duty to govern.” Minutes later Five Star’s Luigi Di Maio said: “We feel the responsibility to give Italy a government.”
Formal coalition talks will not start until the start of April.