Matteo Salvini fired the warning shot at the EU, saying he did not want “ambitious” budget legislation to be “limited by Brussels’ imposition”. His remarks come after President Sergio Mattarella gave Italy’s bickering parties five days to clinch a deal to resolve a political crisis and avoid a snap election.

The eurozone’s third-largest economy is in political turmoil after its government, riven by months of infighting, imploded this week, forcing prime minister Giuseppe Conte to resign just as he was to begin preparing the 2020 budget.

Mr Salvini said: “We want Italians to decide through an election, but since the 5Stars have now U-turned on many of their red lines.

"If they are willing to move forward with this coalition, with a new and improved team to pass ambitious budget legislation without being limited by Brussels’ impositions, then we can discuss renewing our partnership.

“Luigi Di Maio has worked well and in the interests of this country - if he wants to relaunch the government and relaunch the country we are ready, without any prejudice.”


But his coalition partner Five-Star and the Democratic Party (PD) are looking at their own possible tie-up, which would form a pro-EU government and sideline Salvini.

Speaking after his meeting with the president, Five-Star leader Luigi Di Maio made no reference to the PD but made clear his party was working to avoid elections.

He said: “In recent hours all the necessary contacts have been launched to find a solid (parliamentary) majority.

He said that he had handed Mr Mattarella a list of 10 reforms that needed completing before parliament should be dissolved.

But his coalition partner Five-Star and the Democratic Party (PD) are looking at their own possible tie-up, which would form a pro-EU government and sideline Salvini.

Speaking after his meeting with the president, Five-Star leader Luigi Di Maio made no reference to the PD but made clear his party was working to avoid elections.

He said: “In recent hours all the necessary contacts have been launched to find a solid (parliamentary) majority.

He said that he had handed Mr Mattarella a list of 10 reforms that needed completing before parliament should be dissolved.


Manlio Di Stefano, a junior foreign minister and one of Five-Star’s most prominent politicians said: “We will not accept the PD’s vetoes, they can’t say we must accept their five points or it’s no deal, that Conte must go or it’s no deal.

A reconciliation between the League and Five-Star is considered unlikely after the bitter recriminations between the parties in the last two weeks but it remains one of the options on the table along with a Five-Star andPD tie up and a snap election.