A break between Conte and Grillo: Italy’s five stars are in danger of splitting

Four months after appointing the former prime minister as the party’s future leader, Grillo Conte was expelled de facto from the group. This decision splits the most powerful group in Prime Minister Mario Draghi’s coalition.

Grillo criticized the former prime minister, who has been working on a law to re-establish the movement for four months: “Conte has no political vision, no management skills. He has no organizational experience, no ability to innovate.” Grillo, who plays the “guarantor” and political strategist in the Five Star Movement, defends himself against Conte’s plans to limit his powers in the new grouping. He then accused Conte Grillo of behaving in an authoritarian manner.

Lawyer Conte, 56, wanted to turn “Cinque Stelle,” which Grillo had founded in 2009 as an anti-regime movement, into an existing group with a statute, members and a party leader — himself. On the other hand, he wanted to degrade Grillo to a mock character without special skills. However, Conte’s plan failed due to Grillo’s stiff resistance. In a post published on Tuesday, the comedian from Genoa was not saved by personal attacks on the former prime minister, who led two governments from June 2018 to last February with the support of Cinque Stelle. Grillo argued that Conte was unable to lead a party.

Conte was upset. According to the media, Conte said: “Grillo’s words are not just a disappointment to me, they are, in my opinion, an insult to the entire five-star movement, which I appreciate, because it is made up of people who believe in certain ideals,” reports Wednesday. His renovation project for “Cinque Stelle” will not fail due to the resistance of one person. He has the support of many characters in the Five Star Movement.

Grillo has launched an online consultation to appoint a management body to develop the rally’s strategy for the 2023 parliamentary elections. The Rousseau platform, whose operator, IT entrepreneur David Casalegio, has been at odds with will vote. This call divides the movement. Because Conte’s supporters are demanding a vote not on a new governing body, but on the statute that Conte developed.

The mayor of Turin, Chiara Abendino, a prominent politician in the movement, criticized Grillo. “I feel bitter,” Abendino complained. “I can only say that we missed a great opportunity. Conte might be the right person to start the movement.”

Given the political turmoil among the “Grillini”, the question arises as to the stability of the government of Prime Minister Draghi in the event of the collapse of the most powerful ruling party. Five Star’s Social Democratic Alliance partner, the Democratic Party (PD), has expressed concern about the impact of the political crisis in the Grillo movement on the stability of the Draghi government. “Now is the time for unity, not division,” said Social Democratic Party leader Enrico Letta. The response of the Five Star Circles was, “No one shakes the alliance.”