Italy's protest novices evolve into party Italy's grassroots and protest-driven Five Star Movement has taken the first important step in its transition towards becoming a structured political force, electing its chief representatives in parliament, where it will hold the balance of power between the two main parties. Meeting in a Rome hotel on Monday, it was the first time the movement had chosen a hierarchy since it was co-founded by Beppe Grillo and Roberto Casaleggio in 2009 with no formal leadership structure. Neither ran for office in last week's elections. Two political novices were chosen by a show of hands among the 163 newly elected parliamentarians as their "group heads." Vito Crimi, a 40-year-old ministry of justice employee, will take up the Senate post. Roberta Lombardi, 39, with a law degree and experience in a luxury interior design company, was chosen for the lower house. All deputies then briefly introduced themselves. Later at the movement's first formal press conference in a packed basement, Mr Crimi said its deputies would give up €5,000 - around half - of their gross monthly wage "with the sobriety that has always distinguished us." The session was streamed live on the internet, giving Italians their first real chance to see the young team of unknowns who won a quarter of the vote in last week's elections, stunning a political establishment already reeling from corruption scandals in the midst of austerity-driven recession. "We are united," Mr Grillo said. We will take our road. He told the future deputies that they would present the movement's agenda in parliament, including ending public subsidies for political parties and newspapers, halving the size of parliament, reforming the electoral system and establishing a minimum national income. Mr Grillo reiterated that the movement would not give a vote of confidence in parliament to a government formed by the other parties. Mr Crimi and Ms Lombardi upheld that line, leaving little doubt for the moment that Mr Grillo will still be able to exert his authority over the movement from outside. Mr Grillo, 64, is well aware of the hazardous transition his loose-knit movement is taking, not just in terms of his own leadership - which he plays down - but in its relationship with the people. "We die if a movement becomes a party," he told the Financial Times last October on the brink of victory in Sicily's regional elections. Our problem is to remain a movement in parliament, which is a structure for parties. We have to keep a foot outside. Put more bluntly by a café owner who voted for the movement: "Will they learn to rob and steal like the politicians before them, or will they keep their hands out of our pockets?" Pierluigi Bersani, leader of the centre-left Democrats who command a majority in the lower house but not the Senate, called on the Five Star Movement last week to support him as prime minister heading a minority government. Mr Grillo rejected the offer, insulting Mr Bersani as a "political stalker making . . . indecent offers." The stalemate means Italy is likely to go back to the polls unless the Democrats can bridge their differences and form a grand coalition with the centre-right led by Silvio Berlusconi, the former prime minister. Mr Bersani is opposed to the idea, which is set to be discussed by party leaders on Wednesday. A "grand coalition" is unlikely to be headed by either Mr Bersani or Mr Berlusconi, commentators say. Mr Berlusconi's trial on charges of paying for sex with an underage prostitute continued in Milan on Monday. The prosecution argued that a "system of prostitution" had been organised at Mr Berlusconi's villa with Karima El Mahroug, then a juvenile, playing an "integral part." Mr Berlusconi and Ms Mahroug, a former nightclub performer, deny the allegations. Speculation is mounting over whether Italy will see a second appointed "technocrat" to replace Mario Monti, who remains caretaker prime minister until the new government is installed. His own new centrist party took only about 8 per cent of the vote, as Italians turned their backs on his austerity programme. Italy's new parliament is set to convene on March 15. Once both chambers have their new speakers and party representatives installed then Giorgio Napolitano, the 87-year-old head of state, will launch formal "consultations" to decide who should be given the mandate to try to form a government. Officials say the process could drag into April.