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Alessandro Di Battista, the rising star of the Five Star Movement, said the single currency had brought nothing but “social disintegration and unemployment” in a stunning attack on the EU. The youthful politician, who is tipped to fill a top post if the eurosceptic movement seizes power in Italy’s next general election, said voters should get the choice to ditch the disastrous economic project.

GETTY Alessandro Di Battista has called for a referendum on Italy's membership of the euro currency

And in a scathing attack on the euro elite he said “technocrats” at the European Commission were the real cause of Europe’s woes, vowing to wage a “serious fight against corruption” in Brussels. Mr Di Battista made the remarks after the Five Star Movement was buoyed by a stunning victory in the Italian referendum on Sunday which ousted PM Matteo Renzi from power.

GETTY The Five Star movement politician said the currency had been a disaster for Italy

AFP Sunday's Italian referendum forced the resignation of PM Matteo Renzi

The anti-Brussels movement championed the ‘no’ campaign and is neck and neck with the socialist party in the opinion polls, leaving it poised to make massive electoral gains. Italy must hold an election within the next 18 months, with the country’s president expected to appoint unelected technocrat Pier Carlo Padoan to run an interim Government. Such a move is likely to only strengthen the Five Star Movement’s election campaign, with the uninspiring establishment figure Mr Padoan inheriting a weak economy and seemingly unsolvable migrant crisis.

The enemies of Europe are the technocrats Alessandro Di Battista

And speaking to La Repubblica Di Battista suggested his party will include a promised referendum on the euro in its manifesto, saying it was time for a vote on the matter. He said: "The Euro and Europe are not the same thing. We just want Italians to decide on the currency.” Asked if he understood the consequences of leaving the euro, he hit back by citing the misery it had caused in Italy, which included “a fall in purchasing power, wages and industrial competitiveness, as well as social disintegration and unemployment”.

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