Party leaders Luigi Di Maio and Matteo Salvini are still haggling over elements of their plans for the European Union and deficit spending as well as the Lega’s flagship pledges of a flat tax rate and curbs on immigration.

They were earlier forced to distance themselves from a leaked policy document which appeared to outline controversial plans to pull out of the euro, ask the European Central Bank to cancel its £250bn debt and end sanctions against Russia.

Both sides said the leaked paper was the first draft of a contract for government which had been updated and was no longer valid.