Italy’s Lega leader Matteo Salvini is now that country’s most popular politician as news emerged that his anti-invasion policies have brought the African invasion down by more than 95 percent—and seems set to halt completely within a short while.

News of Salvini’s boost in popularity—to over 30 percent of the electorate—and the success of his anti-invasion policies have been deliberately suppressed by the controlled English-speaking media, but the Italian press has reported extensively on the developments.

The Libero Quotidiano newspaper, for example, reported that when Salvini started his role in the government, his priorities were twofold: firstly to show that his work as minister of the Interior would have immediate effect, and secondly, to curb the growth of his coalition partner party, the Five Star Movement.

“In both these things, Salvini has been successful,” the Libero Quotidiano said.

To prove this, the paper continued, all that needs to be done is to compare the official data on the African invasion landings between 2017 under the previous government’s Interior Minister Marco Minniti , and those of the 70 days which Salvini has held that post.

According to these figures, 23,526 Africans invaded Italy in June 2017. A year later, the first month with Salvini at the helm, the numbers had already dropped to 3,147.

In July 2017, the figures show, 11,461 Africans invaded Italy, and a year later, the second month of Salvini’s rule, just 1,969 made it ashore.

As of the first week of August, the paper continued, to “complete the first 70 days of Minister Salvini,” there have been just 344 Africans brought ashore in Italy, as opposed to the 3,920 who invaded Italy during the same period the previous year.

“With the declining landing, support for the Lega has grown at exponential levels,” the Libero Quotidiano continued.

“In 70 days, Salvini has raised his support levels from 17.6 percent to over 31 percent, taking away half of Forza Italia’s and a quarter of Brothers of Italy party support.”