Cinque Stella (M5S) is Exposed as a Party That's Less Than Stellar

In a political twist, the populist anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S/Cinque Stella) has moved to form a coalition government with Italy's Democratic Party (PD).

This is particularly ironic given that the PD was an object of so much of Five Star's scorn and ire. Why have they done this? For one reason... to counter Matteo Salvini and his parliamentary maneuvers. Salvini has attempted to force elections and take over as Italian prime minister with his League Party in power... and M5S forced into opposition.

There are elements in Brussels and Washington, not to mention Paris and Berlin that are heaving a great sigh of relief... and yet will it last?

I don't doubt that money has changed hands and you can be sure the intrigue in Rome is pretty thick right now.

But will the new coalition survive? How can it? The M5S-Lega coalition was pretty iffy but this... this is almost like Nigel Farage joining forces with Gordon Brown. It's an unlikely partnership to say the least.

Salvini will now be in the opposition and though stung will probably relish the opportunity to unleash his sarcasm and his own version of populism.

And he's laughing because M5S has likely just committed suicide. It has sold out and has become what it mocked and despised. There are many in the M5S that don't like Salvini and the League but there are many more that have come to appreciate his iconoclasm and one wonders if when the elections come... as indeed they will by 2023 at the latest... that Salvini will be the one smiling. With some reason, Salvini is hoping that his position will be even stronger than it is now.

In the meantime you can be sure that the Atlantic Establishment will pull out all the stops to bring Salvini down in some kind of scandal. He knows this and though he has a lot of allies and a growing power base, he's playing in the premier league and the stakes are high not just for Italy but for Europe and the stability of the G7 and the Atlantic order.

Will Putin lend a helping hand? Why not? What does Putin have to lose at this point? The question is will Salvini take it? Russian money will help him to run a campaign, but exposure might be the very scandal that takes him down.