(2 Jun 2018) Thousands of 5-Star Movement supporters gathered in Rome on Saturday to celebrate the so-called "government of change".
On Friday a government headed by political novice Giuseppe Conte and supported by the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement in coalition with the right wing League was sworn in after a chaotic week and 90 days after the 4th March elections.
Saturday's rally was initially called by 5-Star leader Luigi di Maio to request the impeachment of the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, on a symbolic date - Italian Republic Day.
It commemorates the day, 2nd June 1946, when Italians voted in a referendum to abolish the monarchy in favour of a republic, Italy's first.
Earlier in the week Mattarella had invoked his constitutional powers to reject the populists' initial choice for economy minister, Paolo Savona, a euro-sceptic.
However, after an agreement was reached between the League and the 5-Star Movement on a different economy minister, and the cabinet headed by Giuseppe Conte was sworn in on Friday, the planned demonstrations against Mattarella turned into a celebration.
The political upheaval that has created western Europe's first populist government has been dubbed the start of Italy's Third Republic, a sentiment shared by Di Maio who promised that "nothing will be like before."
The event was concluded by Beppe Grillo, a comedian and the 5-Star Movement founder, who said that "a new world" was arriving.
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