Italy’s ruling coalition collapsed on Wednesday after former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi withdrew support over the country’s economic recovery plans, writes Euronews.

Renzi announced in a press conference that his Italia Viva party was resigning from government. The small centrist party had two ministers.

It also means the ruling coalition no longer has a majority in parliament.

His announcement plunged the country, Europe’s most heavily impacted by the pandemic, into a new political crisis.

Renzi launched his Italia Viva party in September 2019 after resigning from the centre-left Democratic Party and being instrumental in the formation of Prime Minister Guiseppe Conte’s second coalition government following the departure of the populist right-wing League party.

Italia Viva has little public support - it currently polls at around three per cent. But it is a junior coalition partner thanks to its 30 lawmakers in the lower house and 18 in the upper house.