Italians take to street to support high-speed rail

ROME - Tens of thousands of citizens and politicians took to the streets in the northern Italian city of Turin on Saturday to show their support for the Turin-Lyon high-speed rail link, which would connect Italy's industrially developed northern regions to the rest of Europe.

The so-called TAV rail link is controversial because the populist Five Star Movement, which currently rules Italy in a coalition with the right-wing League party, promised voters it would shut down the project, which is financed by France, Italy and the European Union.

The League, which has its roots in the wealthy, industrialized North, is however in favor of the TAV and of infrastructure in general, as are the opposition center-left Democratic Party and the center-right Forza Italia party.