Tra innovazione e normalizzazione: la rappresentanza politica del Movimento 5 Stelle in Sicilia

The existing literature widely depicts the Five Star Movement as a phenomenon of strong opposition to the usual form of politics. Consequently, this study aims to analyse the evolution of the socio-demographic features of the 5SM’s Sicilian representatives, and the ways in which they account for the nature and operation of the relationship between political representatives and those represented. Sicily was chosen because of the region’s importance to the 5SM’s electoral breakthrough after 2009, and more generally due to the number of Sicilian MPs present in the national parliamentary arena. Based on a data set encapsulating the standard socio-demographic features of Sicilian regional and national MPs, together with seven semi-structured interviews with representatives elected to both the Regional and National Assemblies, the analysis provides an in-depth view of the concept of political representation within the 5SM and, more importantly, confirms the persisting perception of it as a movement in terms of its political action. Our analysis shows that the prevailing perception that Sicilian 5SM representatives have of their political role is largely unrelated to the concept of “direct participation” through the Rousseau Platform, but instead places great value in the close relationship with supporters through local meetings. This perception appears to clash strongly with the most recent organizational practices proposed by the political leadership and approved via the Rousseau Platform in 2019.

Keywords: Five Star Movement; Representation; Sicilian region; Militancy