Lega leader Matteo Salvini speaking right now - 5 March 2018

  • Congratulates Five Star Movement on vote outcome so far
  • Vote for Lega in South Italy is beginning of new path
  • Will be good on commitment to Center-Right coalition
  • Lega is willing to govern Italy with Center-Right
  • Center-Right is the team Lega will work with
  • Lega is not available for "bizzarre" coalitions
  • Says that Center-Right coalition is in position to rule Italy
  • Financial markets have "nothing to fear" after Italian vote
  • Center-Right coalition is the team with more chances to govern

Well, this will at least for now lays to bed worries for those thinking of a possibility that the Five Star Movement and Lega will join forces to form a majority government. And will surely give those worried about anti-establishment dominance some comfort as we await further results from the election.

Lega is the 'surprising' result of the election so far along with the Five Star Movement party. Five Star Movement was expected to only garner around 27% of the votes, but has come out as the single largest winning party with around 32% of the vote based on preliminary results.

Meanwhile, Lega has gotten about 18% of the votes and surpasses Berlusconi's Forza Italia party - one which pollsters did not really expect.

The true issue for this coalition (if they were to win) though will be who actually will be prime minister? Lega's surprise here will incentivise Salvini to push his case to be prime minister, and in some ways may give him more leverage considering their position from the vote count over Berlusconi's coalition.