ROME - Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio has unveiled the Five Star Movement’s (M5S) manifesto for the countries it will ally with for the European Union (EU) elections, including a new Greek alliance. The Croatian Zivi Zid party, the Polish Kukiz’15 movement, the Finnish movement Liike Nyt and, the Greek party Akkel were the first allies to be announced.

 “Here there are five political forces that have accepted the challenge as ambitious as it is complex to create a new group. It takes seven parties to form a group in the EU Parliament but I am confident because we have contacts with new European political forces,” said Di Maio.

 Di Maio has, however, finally distanced himself from the French Yellow Vest movement after their leader, Christophe Chalencon, gave an interview in Rome extolling armed struggle and civil war.

 At a meeting with M5S members Di Maio and Alessandro Di Battista, Chalencon stated, "We of the people, the paramilitaries, are prepared to intervene because they too want to bring down the government. Today everything is calm but we are on the brink of civil war.”The M5S leader responded, “No to dialogue with those talking about armed struggle and civil war,” adding “Here are only those who believe in democracy.”

 To give life to a new group is “important for the M5S but also for the countries we represent and for all European people, for those who do not recognise themselves as being on the right or on the left, for those who speak of participatory democracy, one of the first points on which we found ourselves,” said Di Maio at a meeting with the leaders of the parties with which he is now allied.

 “Both the M5S program and the common manifesto will be put to the vote of our members,” added the M5S leader, underlining how, the new group “will be the balance.”

 Addressing Akkel, the Greek agriculture and livestock party, Di Maio said, “We do not agree on all issues, but the inspiring principles of this group are based on the idea of ​​a different Europe.”

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