The coalition which brought to power a populist and eurosceptic force could crumble over the latest migrant crisis faced by Rome. Mr Di Maio and Italy’s Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte have accepted to take in some of the asylum-seekers rescued by two German NGOs ships Sea Eye and Sea Watch, despite Mr Salvini had refused for 20 days to let the stranded migrants to disembark. This decision sparked the outrage of the anti-immigration leader, who has made the cut of the number of arrivals of illegal immigrants to Italy his flagship policy.
It’s fine if Di Maio speaks his mind and that we debate among ourselves with Prime Minister Conte, but on migrants I am the one who decides
Matteo Salvini
After Italy accepted the migrants, the leader of right-wing Lega said: “Europe is welcoming more migrants yielding to the the blackmails of NGOs and immigrant traffickers, and this risks to become a major problem.”
The interior minister, who is also Italy’s deputy prime minister alongside Mr Di Maio, leader of the Five Star Movement, had already attacked earlier this week his coalition partner as he was opening up on the possibility to welcome to Italy at least the women and children aboard the two rescue ships.
In a raging comment over the issue which aimed at separating the powers of the two leaders, Mr Salvini said: “No one arrive to Italy. Harbours are closed, shut down.
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