The far-right Northern League Party scored a historic victory in Italy during Sunday's European Parliament (EP) elections.
The party received 34.3% of the vote and became the first party in elections for the first time in the its history.
In a press conference, the party's leader, deputy premier and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini kissed a cross and thanked Italians for their support.
"I thank those who have helped Italy and Europe find their roots, pride, hope and security," Salvini said.
He denied claims that the election results made the future of the ruling coalition difficult.
Another partner of the coalition, the Five Star Movement, suffered a harsh defeat at the ballot box, with the party's vote declining to 17.1%, down from the 32.7% it received in the Italian general elections in 2018.
