Last Thursday, his office in Montecitorio approved a regulation reform to cut retirement benefits from former members of parliament.

According to the new rule, the pensions of 1,240 former parliamentarians must be recalculated using the contributory method instead of the remunerative one.

The savings are significant, and amount to around 40 million euros per year, as highlighted by Minister for Parliamentary Relations and Direct Democracy Riccardo Fraccaro.

Fico’s resolution was passed with 12 out of 18 votes in favour and none against.

Along with the nine members of the majority (M5S and League) who voted in favour of the law, were Ettore Rosato of the Democratic Party (PD), and Edmondo Cirielli and Fabio Rampelli from Brothers of Italy (FdI).

Berlusconi’s Forza Italia (FI) abstained, while Luca Pastorino of Free and Equal (LeU) didn’t participate in the vote.

The cuts to former MPs' retirement benefits represent an historic victory for the M5S, which was born almost 10 years ago off the back of protests against the privileges of the so-called political “castes”.

Just after the vote took place, a cheering crowd gathered outside Montecitorio’s palace to celebrate with spumante, flags and chants in approval of the new legislation.

Many M5S MPs and ministers joined the crowd.

Due to the institutional nature of his role, Roberto Fico did not make an appearance in the square, though he considers the abolition of the political privileges a great personal achievement.

Meanwhile, M5S leader Luigi Di Maio joined his supporters with enthusiasm, chanting and hugging those around him.

Di Maio played a key role in the approval of the reform, working behind the scenes to persuade League members to withdraw their opposition to Fico’s resolution.

In exchange for the support of League members, Di Maio has accepted some slight changes to his Dignity Bill in which the League requested the inclusion of some advantages for the agricultural and tourism sectors.

Following those final changes, Di Maio’s Dignity Bill against job insecurity was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers and signed off by the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, on Thursday night.

The M5S has scored two goals in a week and sent the cumbersome figure of Matteo Salvini to the background for a while.