Row between Italy’s coalition partners could lead to election

ITALY’S coalition government has veered closer to the rocks after its populist allies traded allegations of corruption in a row that has fuelled speculation of an early election.

The fractious relationship between the far-right League and anti-establishment Five Star Movement hit a new low after corruption allegations against League’s Armando Siri, a close ally of deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini.

Mr Siri, undersecretary at the transportation ministry, is accused by Rome prosecutors of accepting a €30,000 (£26,000) bribe for seeking to favour businessmen in the renewable energy sector. The 47-year-old denies any wrongdoing, but the scandal prompted the Five Star leader Luigi Di Maio to demand his resignation.

Shortly afterwards, the Italian magazine L’espresso raised allegations of misbehaviour against one of Five Star’s most high-profile figures.

Virginia Raggi, the mayor of Rome, whose term has been marred by allegations of corruption and a garbage crisis, was recorded urging the head of the city’s rubbish collection company to modify its budget – an apparent abuse of her powers.

The 40-year-old wrote in a Facebook post that she had exercised no pressure on the manager and said she wanted to avoid the approval of a budget that would have granted additional bonuses to the firm’s managers, despite their poor performance.

Mr Salvini, leader of the League, has called for Ms Raggi to step down. He has repeatedly attacked the Rome mayor and her administration, sparking concern

that he plans to force her to quit and thus win control of the capital.

League officials were also infuriated by the decision of the Five Star politician Danilo Toninelli, the transport minister, to strip Mr Siri of his responsibilities until his position is clarified.

“Salvini isn’t the only one who’s sick and tired of the Five Star,” League’s Edoardo Rixi, deputy minister at the infrastructure ministry, told the Italian daily La Repubblica yesterday. “We’re all sick and tired. That’s enough.”

Mr Rixi added that Five Star were doing “all they can to make us vote in June”, shortly after May’s European Parliament elections.

Mr Salvini could be tempted to call an early election as recent polls show League drawing about 33 per cent of the vote, against Five Star’s 22 per cent.

But, League’s leader is reluctant to join forces with his former ally Silvio Berlusconi, the former prime minister and leader of Forza Italia.