MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Grillo wants a referendum on the Euro and a review of Italy’s debt situation

“In one year we won't have enough money left to pay the pensions and wages of those working in the public sector”, argues the former comedian

Beppe Grillo, the leader of the 5-Star Movement that shocked the Italian political system has said he wants an online vote on Italy's membership of the Euro, in an interview with a German magazine published.

“I am a strong advocate of Europe. I am in favor of an online referendum on the Euro,” former comedian Beppe Grillo told Bild am Sonntag.

Such a vote would not be legally binding in Italy, where referendums can only be used to repeal laws or parts of laws, but would carry political weight. Grillo has said in the past that membership of the euro should be up to the Italian people.

The spectacular rise of the 5-Star Movement, which gained 26% of lower house votes in its first ever parliamentary election, rattled markets concerned that the political newcomers could turn against austerity and membership of the euro, and plunge the currency zone back into crisis.

The three leading groups to emerge from the vote have yet to agree on how to form a government. The centre-left group took a majority in the lower house but not in the Senate, meaning it must agree an alliance with either 5-Star or traditional rivals the centre right in order to govern.

Grillo - who did not run for a seat himself as he has a criminal conviction which excludes him under his own movement's rules - has repeatedly said his group will not enter a coalition, but would support individual bills in line with their program.

The former comedian also said he was in favour of Italy repurchasing its government bonds and renegotiating the interest rate.

“In reality Italy has long been lost. In one year we won't have enough money left to pay the pensions and wages of those working in the public sector. There's not much left to rescue,” he said in the interview.

During the election campaign Grillo said his deputies would open parliament “like a tin of tuna” and bring greater transparency to the workings of government.