Italy’s prime minister resigned on Tuesday night, accusing his deputy Matteo Salvini of wrecking the populist coalition and seeking “full powers”, a reference to the authoritarian regime of Benito Mussolini.

Giuseppe Conte brought the 14-month coalition between Mr Salvini’s hard-Right League party and the anti-establishment Five Star Movement to an official end by tendering his resignation to Italy’s president.

In an hour-long address to parliament, the prime minister lambasted Mr Salvini, accusing him of precipitating the crisis in the hope of forcing a general election which he would have a strong chance of winning.

In an oblique reference to Italy’s Fascist past, Mr Conte said: “I heard you calling for 'full powers' and invoking (demonstrations in) the piazzas to support you, which worries me.”

Mussolini assumed so-called full powers in 1922 and went onto to govern Italy with an iron hand until he was executed by partisans towards the end of the war.

“We have no need for men with full powers, but for those who have an institutional culture and a sense of responsibility,” the prime minister told a packed parliament.

The leader of the League had put “personal and party interests” in front of those of the country in initiating the crisis, said Mr Conte, a lawyer who was appointed as an arbitrator between the coalition partners.