The Five Star Movement (Italian: Movimento 5 Stelle Italian pronunciation: [moviˈmento ˈtʃiŋkwe ˈstelle], M5S) is a political party in Italy. Its leader and president is Giuseppe Conte, Prime Minister of Italy from 2018 until 2021. The M5S was founded on 4 October 2009 by Beppe Grillo, a comedian and blogger, and Gianroberto Casaleggio, a web strategist. From 2014 to 2017, it was a member of the Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy group in the European Parliament, along with the UK Independence Party and minor Eurosceptic parties. In January 2017, M5S members voted in favour of Grillo's proposal to join the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Group but the party was eventually refused, and has since sat as Non-Inscrits in the European Parliament.