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The leader of Italian party the League said the upcoming Italian election is Europe’s “last chance” to reform itself. In an exclusive interview with Express.co.uk, the anti-EU candidate Matteo Salvini warned Brexit is the perfect example to follow if Brussels refuses to listen to his demands. Mr Salvini said: “On principle, I always support the opinion of a population who express themselves through a referendum. “The British case is even more emblematic because it represents the first and only time so far where European citizens have had the opportunity to have a say about their membership of the European Union. And they rejected it. I’m not surprised.

GETTY Italian election: Matteo Salvini warns Brussels Italy will be next to follow UK out of the bloc

“Why on earth would free people remain prisoners in a cage of absurd laws and regulation, with rigid constraints that humiliate the true needs of the people and their country? “With the Italian vote, the EU will have its last chance to reform itself. Otherwise, Brexit will be nothing else than the start of an inevitable crumbling process, with all the consequences and dangers this comes with.” Matteo Salvini is running as Italy’s next Prime Minister in a pre-election coalition with Silvio Berlusconi’s party Forza Italia and far-right party Fratelli d’Italia. Lega - formerly Leag Nord - is far more right-wing than Forza Italia.

Why on earth would free people remain prisoners in a cage of absurd laws and regulations? Matteo Salvini

Its manifesto focuses on immigration and Mr Salvini has called more than once for the expulsion of all the illegal immigrants in Italy. The party was extremely anti-EU but has moved to a more moderate but still sceptic position, as it sees the EU as a threat to Italian identity and values, however, they would support an Italexit referendum if the EU does not hear Italy’s demands. The party’s programme has changed since Mr Salvini took over the leadership in 2013, transforming the once regional party into a national force endorsing a hard line on immigration and Islamist terrorism. Dubbed “the Italian Farage” for his anti-Europeanism, he has vowed to make “extreme” reforms to European laws if elected, has threatened the EU with the possibility of an "Italexit" and pledged in his party’s manifesto to “defend Italian borders from the invasion” of illegal immigrants.

Italian election 2018: The political parties and coalitions in the race Wed, February 28, 2018 The 2018 Italian general election is due to be held on 4 March 2018 Play slideshow Getty Images 1 of 13 Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italy party is pro-European, but demands a greater role in the EU for Italy