Currently the Foreign Minister, Di Maio was until recently the leader of the Five Star Movement, which is currently part of a ruling coalition government.

He stepped down as party leader in January, saying he was “exhausted”, though remains in his post as Italy's foreign minister.

He said the people of Italy must peacefully demonstrate against the government, which is made up of the populist M5S and the centre-left Democratic Party. 

The uneasy coalition was formed to prevent new elections which may have led to the election of the far-right Matteo Salvini, however it has been beset by tensions ever since. 

• ANALYSIS: How the rebel Five Star Movement joined Italy's establishment
• TIMELINE: 15 months of drama in Italian politics
• EXPLAINER: An introductory guide to the Italian political system

The Five Star Movement has suffered from a drop in support recently, as well as the resignation of several key members of the party. 

Initially founded by comedian Beppe Grillo, the party took one a third of the vote (33 percent) in the March 2018 elections but has seen support decline since then.

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