Di Maio called for the online vote after the M5S won just 17 per cent of the vote in the elections, half the tally of its coalition partner, Matteo Salvini’s far-right League.
Di Maio won the backing of 80 per cent of his party’s supporters who took part in the referendum, with 44,849 in favour of confirmation versus 11,278 against, according to a post on the M5S’ online platform known as Rousseau.
After the result was announced, Di Maio wrote in a Facebook post that he will profoundly reorganise the M5S “to make it closer to citizens”.
“I’m sure that we will start afresh, stronger than before. For the M5S and for the Italian government which we support,” he added.
Many blamed Di Maio’s leadership on the party’s drop in popularity: the M5S garnered 32 per cent of the vote in last year’s national election, but has since been ditched by many as the League continues to gain more power.
