Italy's Five-Star Movement joins UKIP

Over 23,000 of a total 30,000 members of Italy's Five-Star Movement (5SM) have voted on-line to join the UK Independence Party - also known as UKIP - in the Eurosceptic formation that seats inside the European Parliament.Comedian-turned 5SM leader Beppe Grillo and highly controversial UKIP leader, Nigel Farage have said they share an overall vision on how Europe should work.Italian media have attacked Grillo for his move to join the UKIP saying that Farage's party is racist and sexist.Snide political commentators have said that the Five-Star Movement is joining an alliance with Farage simply for opportunistic reasons. As a matter of fact, to form a political group in the Strasbourg-based parliament, 25 members of parliament from seven states are needed. In the new legislature, UKIP only has 24 seats while the Five-Star Movement has 17.An alliance with another political formation is something of a novelty for the Five-Star Movement. Domestically, Grillo has continuously refused to strike deals with any of the political parties in parliament.