The north-based League stokes fears about migrants, who have arrived in huge numbers to Sicily. "It's too costly to keep them in Italy, in hotels," Salvini said. The 5-Star Movement became Parliament's largest party thanks in large part to support in Italy's underdeveloped south, where the jobless rate tops 50 percent among young people in many places. Di Maio also renewed his campaign pledge to undo the reforms that targeted the pension system that made it possible for large number of Italians to retire in their late 50s or earlier. Critics have said the populists' promises, if realized, will boost Italy's public debt to unsustainable levels.

Source: ABC News June 03, 2018 14:35 UTC