Matteo Salvini, Italy’s deputy Prime Minister, has renewed his pledge to change Europe as his right-wing coalition swept to victory in the southern region of Basilicata, ending 24 years of left-wing rule.

Basilicata is the third region won by the coalition, which includes Salvini’s right-wing “League”, Silvio Berlusconi’s “Forza Italia” and the smaller right-wing party, “Brothers of Italy”, since the League formed a national government with the “Five Star Movement” (M5S) last June. The group scored almost 43% of the vote, 18% of which came from League supporters.

“In one year the ‘League’ has tripled its votes, victory also in Basilicata!” Salvini tweeted. “Goodbye to the left, and now to change Europe”.

Although the M5S was the single biggest party in Basilicata – winning just over 20% of the vote – it lost more than half the support gained in the region in last year’s general elections.

Led by Matteo Salvini the “League” promises to introduce a parallel currency and a flat tax for all at 15%, as well as allowing earlier retirement & repatriating 100.000 illegal immigrants a year.

For now, all eyes are on the European parliamentary elections in late May and in the absence of any real challengers, Salvini is forecast to win big. He has reportedly invited his fellow-members of the right-wing European party, “Movement for a Europe of Nations and Freedom” (MENF), to Rome in April, with the aim of broadening the alliance.

Salvini has strong relations with “National Rally”, the French right-wing party led by Marine Le Pen, the Dutch “Party for Freedom” led by Geert Wilders and the Greek “New Right” led by Failos Kranidiotis.