The anti-establishment 5-Star Movement has overtaken Prime Minister Matteo Renzi's Democratic Party (PD) as Italy's most popular party ahead of crucial local elections next month, according to the latest opinion poll.
The Index Research poll, commissioned by current affairs program Piazza Pulita and broadcast on Monday evening, showed 28.4 per cent of Italians would now vote for 5-Star in a general election, compared with 28.0 per cent for the PD.
The survey is the first one to put 5-Star ahead of the PD after increasing in the polls over the last year as the economy struggles and job growth has been slow.
The trend has accelerated in recent months amid a spate of scandals involving the government and the PD, while Renzi's personal approval ratings have fallen.
Comedian Beppe Grillo founded 5-Star in 2009 and the party is especially popular among younger voters.
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It presents itself as the only movement able to clean up politics and take on vested interests, and wants to hold a referendum to decide whether Italy should remain in the euro.
In June, mayoral elections will be held in Italy's main cities, and pressure on Renzi from PD dissidents will intensify if the party should fare badly in the key contests of Rome, Milan, Naples and Turin.
The next general election is not due until 2018, but many analysts expect it may be held next year due to instability in Renzi's grand coalition.
The Index Research poll put the pro-autonomy Northern League in third place with 13.0 per cent of the vote, followed by former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia on 12.6 per cent.
