Italy's deepening political turmoil has pushed European democracy to the brink of collapse, the leader of the UNI Global Union has said.

Rome's power struggle has rattled global financial markets in recent days, amid renewed fears that euroskeptic parties in the euro zone's third-largest economy could frame a new election as a de facto referendum on Italy's role in Europe.

Philip Jennings, the general secretary of a union that represents more than 20 million workers from over 900 trade unions, told CNBC Tuesday that a "deserved" backlash against globalization was threatening a fundamental pillar of the European project.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's (OECD) annual forum in Paris, Jennings told CNBC's Joumanna Bercetche: "Two-thirds of the people doing some kind of work in this world have no proper contract and no proper terms and conditions of employment so this backlash against globalization is real."

"Politicians have to reconnect with the concerns of people, they have to reconnect to improve their condition, improve their work experience and to say that we're going to accompany you through this revolution," he added.