The Italian election 2018 sparked fears in the European Union's higher echelons as it resulted in two heavily eurosceptic coming up on top.

The Five Star Movement (M5S) became the largest single party in Italy with 32.1 percent of the vote while the centre-right coalition led by the Lega gained 37 percent of votes.

Political scientist Matteo Scotto suggested the Italian election was further proof the European project was slowly "falling to pieces" because of the inability to unite member states.

Mr Scotto said: "We just need to look at the two-speed Europe – look at two member states: Germany and France – that’s becoming a reality, with an adverse and excluded western-central Europe, an indifferent northern Europe and a forgotten southern Europe.

"What remains of Europe is sterile echoes of calls to order, bloated by a misunderstood and badly distributed economic success. What remains is a mere Union of states – if we can still talk about a union – which either cooperates if and when all interests are taken care of or proceeds, legitimately, by other means becoming smaller still."

The success of the M5S and the Lega falls in line with surveys showing an increased shift in the views of Italians towards the EU and its institutions.

The Eurobarometer poll conducted by the EU itself at the end of last year highlighted a dramatic shift in the views of Italians.

Under 60 percent supported the retention of the status quo, making Italy one of the most Eurosceptic countries in the trade bloc.

Writing on Il Foglio, Mr Scotto continued: "The last Brussels institution symbolising an elusive form of European democracy, the European Parliament, is falling to pieces so much so that its presidents – two in the last few months – did not miss the chance to return to their own countries as soon as they were called.

"This, whether we want it or not, is what remains of Europe and probably the highest peak we could reach in the current historical context."