Italy's anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S) and the center-left opposition Democratic Party (PD) agreed on Wednesday to form a new coalition government and avoid snap elections which could favor Matteo Salvini's far-right League Party.

The two parties entered coalition talks, despite being political enemies, after Italy’s former ruling alliance – made up of M5S and the League Party – collapsed following months of infighting.

Salvini had pushed for new elections, saying that the former arrangement, which was Europe’s first populist coalition government, no longer held a majority in Parliament.

Nicola Zingaretti, the head of PD, said Wednesday that the coalition is a “real turning point” for Italy and stressed that it was “not just a handover of power.”

“We love Italy and we believe that it is worth trying this experiment,” Zingaretti told reporters.

M5S and PD leaders told Italy’s President Sergio Mattarella that Giuseppe Conte should lead the new government once again. Conte had resigned last week, effectively averting a no-confidence vote tabled by Salvini.

Mattarella’s spokesman, Giovanni Grasso, said Wednesday evening that Conte had been invited to meet with the President tomorrow morning. Conte is expected to be given the mandate to form a new government.

According to M5S leader Luigi Di Maio, the deal still needs to be approved by party members in an online vote — which should take place before the end of next week.