The reasons for the success and transformations of the 5 Star Movement

Abstract

This article explains the reasons for the 5 Star Movement’s success at the general election of February 2013, as well as the issues it has to face in order to adapt its organisation and goals to the tasks and challenges ahead, in a political system which has been dominated for the last 20 years by bipolar competition between centre right and centre left. The success of the M5S has not been a chance event, but was built on a movement with an original strategy, developed over many years thanks to mobilisation through the Internet, and in public squares, without apparent plans to enter the electoral arena. Many researchers perceive the movement founded by Grillo as one of the several populist parties that thrive on the protest of European citizens. M5S tries to give voice to protest and indignation towards the political class, but it has a number of features in common with the new social movements that have contested elections. In many ways, it recalls the German Greens party 30 years ago: they were not only the advocates of ecological and pacifist policies but also wanted to change the relationship between citizens, movements and institutions. The M5S is pursuing the same issues, but doing so while carrying much greater responsibilities and more difficulties due to the political inexperience of the majority of the party’s MPs and activists.