Reports Italy’s Di Maio to step down as leader of 5-star movement on Wednesday

Italy’s Luigi di Maio will step down as leader of the co-ruling 5-Star Movement on Wednesday, a senior 5-Star source said.

Di Maio, who is also the government’s foreign minister, is expected to meet other ministers belonging to the anti-establishment movement later in the morning and is due to announce his resignation at a party meeting in the afternoon, several dailies reported.

Di Maio and his spokesman declined to comment.

The 5-Star obtained 33% of the vote in the 2018 national election but since then its popularity has fallen sharply and latest polls put it around 15%.

Over 30 members of parliament from the 5-Star have left their seats since the beginning of the legislature- some have quit, other have been ousted – underlining the deep divisions within the party.

Read more via Reuters/Corriere della Sera