Can the 5-Star Movement Win Italy With a Fresh Face?

The insurgent Five Star movement, Italy’s version of the Tea Party, is fighting to win the country’s next general election. To increase its chances, the party has put forward a new leader, Luigi Di Maio, a 31 year old who has worked in Parliament. Di Maio looks and sounds like a regular minister of parliament, and despite his youth, adds a level of credibility to the party it couldn’t muster with other less experienced candidates. Giovanni Legorano reports from Rome that despite the fresh face, the Five Star movement is still a potential sea change in Italy’s politcs.

Even as Mr. Di Maio provides a moderate face for the party at the election, 5 Star still supports unorthodox ideas.

For instance, the 5 Star Movement opposed the government’s decision this year to require children to be vaccinated to attend school. The group also supports a reduced workweek that it says will help create jobs—youth unemployment is at 36%.

With Mr. Di Maio, “they are trying to show they can be in charge,” says Giovanni Orsina, professor at Rome’s Luiss University. But “behind the facade, who knows what’s there.”