Salvini: Italian far-right leader down but not yet out

[WestVirginiaRebel]

Yahoo News

Rome (AFP) - With his "Italians first" rallying cry and his tub-thumping against Islam and illegal migrants, Matteo Salvini's stint as Italy's deputy prime minister and interior minister made him the country's most popular and controversial politician.

But the leader of the far-right League party was on Tuesday ushered away from the government bench and joined the opposition after his miscalculated power grab that saw Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte tender his government's resignation.

Nevertheless, Salvini's long political career is not over after 14 months of proudly promoting his nationalist, anti-immigrant mantra in the press while dismissing criticism that he uses racist, xenophobic and tasteless language.

"Thank you, finally, I would do it all again," Salvini said after he was effectively kicked out of government.

His blunt attacks on migrants, as well as Islam, gay marriage and criminals, have replaced the historic secessionist battle cries of the League and seen his party soaring in opinion polls.

But after a stormy 14 months of rows with coalition partner the Five Star Movement, Salvini, 46, pulled his support in the hope of snap elections that would make him premier.

The deputy premier was hoping to capitalise on the League's top billing in May's European elections, with opinion polls suggesting the League could double its 2018 election result if a vote were held tomorrow.

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Salvini's second coming?