The leader of Italy’s centre-left Democratic party (PD) has warmed to a potential alliance with its long-time rival, the anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S), in an attempt to stave off snap elections that threaten to create western Europe’s first fully far-right government since the second world war.

Nicola Zingaretti, who was elected PD party leader in March, relented to the prospect of forming a government with M5S on condition it lasts until the end of the legislature in 2023. “A possible new government must be a turning point, lasting the term, or it is better to go to the polls,” he said after a meeting with PD members on Wednesday morning.

Zingaretti had previously said that such a move would be “a gift to the dangerous right”. His change of heart came after the Italian president, Sergio Mattarella, gave his country’s political parties two days to carve out an alternative government majority after Giuseppe Conte resigned as prime minister on Tuesday, prompting a new wave of political turmoil.(theguardian)…[+]