Beppe Grillo!

Italy’s Five Star Movement has launched a petition drive for withdrawal from the euro to lift the country out of depression and protect Italian democracy, a dramatic turn for a country that was passionately pro-European for sixty years. “We must leave the euro as soon as possible,” said Beppe Grillo, the combative comedian-politician and founder of the protest party that swept into Italy’s parliament last year with 26pc of the vote.

“We will collect half a million signatures in six months - a million signatures - and we will take our case to parliament, and this time thanks to our 150 legislators, they will have to talk to us.”