ROME -- Tensions are running high in Italy’s Five Star Movement M5S, as two of Beppe Grillo’s MPs had a tiff in the parliamentary Chamber’s courtyard Friday, that was not far off ending in a physical fight, government sources said.

 The radical movement’s members are on edge as even something as simple as being late or missing an appointment can be enough to provoke a new crisis.

 Two M5S members of parliament, Giorgio Sorial -- who is also remembered for having harangued Giorgio Napolitano, Italy’s former president -- and his colleague Francesco Cariello, had a shouting match against each other. A full-on brawl was narrowly avoided thanks to the intervention of other colleagues, according to ‘Il Tempo.’

 Both MPs are part of the Movement’s Financial Committee. Friday morning they had a meeting with the other Five Star members of the same Committee. A series of late arrivals and misunderstandings sparked an argument between the two.

 Under the incredulous eyes of their colleagues in the courtyard, Sorial and Cariello began to shout and even shove each other. Their fellow MPs then intervened, asking for clarification.

 Sorial distanced himself and Cariello lengthily stayed on to talk to Federico D’Incà, Laura Castelli, Vincenzo Caso and Marco Brugnerotto.

 ‘Il Fatto Quotidiano’ likens this to a recent similar tiff between two radical UKIP politicians in the UK, that ended with MP Steven Woolfe in hospital over a simple exchange of views between the two.

 In both cases, ‘Il Fatto’ writes, “rather than poor conquered, more like poor winners. It must be that victories are not always perfect lifesavers… One could say that success has gone to their heads, but also that subsequent lack of success has played its part.”

 nkd