Free Republic

The Italian left-wing “Five Star Movement” (M5S) received 3.5 million Euros (about $4 million) from Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chávez in 2010, the Spanish newspaper ABC revealed this week. The Five Star Movement is an Italian populist Leftist movement founded in 2009 by comedian Beppe Grillo and web strategist Gianroberto Casaleggio. The Movement is known to be Eurosceptic and environmentalist. According to the Movement’s website, it is “neither Left or Right-Wing, but for ideas” – most of which fall on the left side of the spectrum. ABC describes the party as having “ecological, anti-imperialist, and -Europeanist inspiration.” Casaleggio died in 2016;...

Italy's President is expected to confirm a coalition between the League and the Five-Star Movement (M5S) today, cementing the nation as having one of the most Eurosceptic governments on the continent. Sergio Mattarella will be asked to approve the formation of the coalition government today-the two parties have been in talks since March's election......... Luigi Di Maio, the leader of the Five Star Movement, sent a stern message to the EU yesterday by insisting that he will attempt to renegotiate EU rules as part of an effort to put Italians first.....