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High-ranking Brussels are reportedly deeply anxious about the outcome of leadership negotiations between the right-wing Lega and anti-establishment Five Star Movement who are locked in talks following the March 4 election which ended in a hung parliament.

If Five Star manage to agree a compromise with Lega Brussels could see a major EU country lobbying for pro-Russian measures in the EU Parliament.

The two parties have similar views not only on the EU, which they believe is too intrusive in the Italian politics and crippled the country’s economy with its austerity measures, but also on Russia.

Both the Five Star and Lega’s electoral programmes vowed to work towards a normalisation of relations between Italy and Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, supported by the Kremlin, and asked to put an end to sanctions against Moscow following the annexation of Crimea.

The parties also proposed a referendum that would ask Italians whether they want to ditch the Euro and oppose to NATO exercises on Italian soil.