Paolo Gentiloni, the Italian Prime Minister, said the centre-left coalition led by his party Democratic Party is the only possible pro-European outcome at the next Italian election.
Speaking at a press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Mr Gentiloni took a swipe at Lega party leader Matteo Salvini and Five Star Movement candidate Luigi Di Maio.
The Italian Prime Minister said he is “certain” Italy will not be ruled by “populists and eurosceptics”.
He said: “The only stable and pro-European coalition capable of governing is the centre-left coalition, led by the Democratic Party.
“However, the last word will be that of Italian citizens’ and after the election, it will be the President of the Republic who will try to reach a political solution.
“One thing is certain: Italy will have a government.
“And I think it will have a stable government. And I don’t think there is any danger it will have a government dominated by populists and eurosceptics.”
The Italian Prime Minister also claimed the German post-election grand coalition will be a helpful example to Italy should no party reach the necessary majority to win the election.
Paolo Gentiloni’s party Democratic Party is the run at the next Italian general election in a pre-election coalition with Civica Popolare and Insieme (a sub-coalition between Greens and Socialists).
The coalition, called +Europa, will run against the centre-right pre-election coalition between Lega, Forza Italia and Fratelli d’Italia (Salvini, Berlusconi, Meloni) and solo-running eurosceptic party Five Star Movement.
According to the latest Ipsos poll for influential daily Corriere della Sera, Salvini’s anti-European party is the strongest of the centre-right coalition, unlike in 2013 when Silvio Berlusconi’s party achieved a better result.
The latest national opinion polls have put Luigi Di Maio’s anti-establishment Five Star Movement on top for the sixth week running but without the support to win an outright majority and take power, the party could be outmanoeuvred by the Forza Italia/Lega coalition.