What is Italy's populist Five Star Movement?

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Italy’s Five Star Movement (M5S) burst onto the political scene in 2009, born out of of an anti-establishment and anti-corruption blog penned by the often foul-mouthed comedian Beppe Grillo.

As Grillo railed against everything from the euro and corruption to Italy's rigid political and economic system, support for the movement grew.

Beppe Grillo, comedian-turned-politician and founder of the Five Star Movement, speaks during a general election campaign on Friday, March 2, 2018. /VCG Photo

M5S was soon fielding candidates and in 2013 stunned the political establishment by placing second in the national election.

Now they are poised to get more votes than any other party when Italy votes again on Sunday.

But can a party founded by a comedian run a major European country?

The Five Star Movement certainly thinks so.

The movement has always cherished its reputation as the ultimate renegade but now, after almost a decade of raging against the powerful, the populist movement says it's ready to rule.

The wild-haired Grillo has taken a back seat and the new face of the party is the clean-cut and smartly dressed Luigi Di Maio.

Di Maio is so confident that M5S will triumph in Sunday’s election that he has already presented his potential cabinet.

Italy's populist Five Star Movement (M5S) party leader Luigi Di Maio addresses supporters during the last election campaign meeting in Piazza del Popolo in Rome on March 2, 2018. /VCG Photo

Almost all of them are political newcomers, something that appeals to M5S supporters who are disillusioned and angry with Italy's traditional political elites.

But the idea of a Five Star government is enough to send shivers down the spines of Italy’s political and financial institutions, and Europe’s as well.

The movement is critical of austerity policies and for years has threatened to pull Italy out of Europe’s single currency.

But for M5s to govern alone, it would need to secure a minimum 40 percent of the ballot and the latest polls suggest the movement would only score about 28 percent.

Under Italy’s new and complicated election law, no party or coalition is expected to get enough votes to win an outright majority.

Five Star Movement (Movimento Cinque Stelle) political party supporters attend a political meeting organized by the anti-establishment party for the upcoming general political election in Rome, Italy on March 2nd, 2018. /VCG Photo

Without a clear winner, the parities will have to form alliances, and in the days leading up to the vote, they have each ruled out working with one another.

Which is why pollsters are calling this the most uncertain election in decades.