Italy's Salvini triumphs in Umbria as government alliance slumps
In Italy a regional election was held in the region of Umbria. Salvini and his center right coalition (Made up of Salvini's Lega, and parties Forza Italia, and Brothers of Italy along with smaller regional parties) managed to secure 57.5% of the vote, defeating the left center-left candidate (The Democratic Party and smaller regional parties) only getting 37.6% of the vote (The rest going to smaller parties that did not make it into parliament). The significant thing about this is that the Democratic Party and the 5 Star Movement are in a coalition with each other and they campaigned together in Umbria, and they lost in spectacular fashion. Apart of that Umbria has voted left for half a century, it used to be a stronghold for the Communist. Now it voted over 50% for the right. This puts strain on the parliamentary relationship between the Democratic Party and the 5 Star Movement. Historically the 5 Star Movement had always campaigned as a left leaning populist alternative to the establishment Democratic Party. Now they can't do that anymore, and they tanked as a result only winning one seat in regional parliament and a little less than 8% in popular votes. as I had previously posted the 5 Star Movement and Lega used to be in a coalition together, until Salvini tried to force an early election and was promptly kicked out and the 5 Star Movement formed a coalition with the Democratic Party. This was their first real test and they failed spectacularly. This is likely to put pressure on the government and may even force a snap election. Though if this election doesn't the January regional election in Emilia-Romagna very well may. Emilia-Romagna is a lot bigger than Umbria, and is considered "the Historic Heartland of Italy's Left" if that region flips, then it might very well destroy the current coalition between the 5-star and the Center-Left. Probably forcing a snap election, unless the 5-Star Movement and Lega for some strange reason decide to get back together which will probably not happen.
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