Why did Silvio Berlusconi allow the League to negotiate with the Five Star Movement in 2018?

In 2018, following the general election, Italy faced a prolonged political impasse as no party or coalition secured a clear path to forming a government. As the head of the right-wing bloc—which included his own party, Forza Italia, the League, and the Brothers of Italy—Silvio Berlusconi gave his blessing for League leader Matteo Salvini to negotiate with the Five Star Movement in an effort to resolve this stalemate.12

This decision was made against the backdrop of months of inconclusive coalition talks and pressure from Italian President Sergio Mattarella, who had urged parties to form a government or face the prospect of a nonpartisan caretaker administration and fresh elections. By allowing these negotiations to proceed, Berlusconi sought to break the deadlock that had persisted since the March 2018 polls.12