Will Italy's warring politicians succeed in shutting Salvini out of power?

What now looks like a distinct possibility in Italy after today’s resignation of Italian prime minister Giuseppe Conte is a reminder of a golden rule of modern politics: the liberal left will sleep with any enemy however repulsive to stop right-wing populism.

Matteo Salvini, who is by far Italy’s most popular politician, perhaps forgot this rule when he pulled the plug on the coalition government of his radical-right League party and the alt-left Five Star Movement by tabling a no-confidence vote in Giuseppe Conte, which prompted his resignation.

Either that or he just could not face another day in a coalition government which was unable to agree anything and which was damaging and not helping Italy.

Whatever. The deputy prime minister and interior minister, who loves to brandish a rosary while speaking to the public, must be praying that he has not shot himself and the country in the foot. He became convinced that if he took the initiative it would mean a snap election in October, which, given his popularity in the polls, he would surely win.