By Angelo Amante
ROME, Sept 1 (Reuters) - Italy's far-right movement led by former army general Roberto Vannacci has overtaken co-ruling Forza Italia in opinion polls, a survey showed on Tuesday, becoming the country's fourth most popular political force only seven months after its launch.
Futuro Nazionale was founded in February after Vannacci broke away from the coalition's League party, building a movement centred on fierce opposition to mass migration and the defence of what he describes as traditional values.
Vannacci's popularity has long outstripped that of the League, which was seen at 5.7% in the latest survey by pollster SWG, and his movement has now moved ahead of Forza Italia as well.
Forza Italia, the party founded by former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and now the second-largest force in Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's coalition, was seen at 7.1%, compared with 7.5% for Futuro Nazionale. The findings broadly confirmed a survey published by pollster BiDiMedia at the end of August.
Vannacci's steady rise poses a challenge for Meloni, as the new party is siphoning support from her ruling alliance ahead of elections due next year.
Meloni's coalition currently trails the centre-left bloc led by the Democratic Party (PD) by a narrow margin. Her Brothers of Italy party remains the country's most popular political force, with 26.8% support, but its backing has weakened in recent months.
It remains unclear whether Futuro Nazionale will eventually join Meloni's coalition, an option that has so far received a lukewarm response from the alliance's leaders.
With her hopes of securing another term under pressure, Meloni is pushing through parliament an electoral reform that opposition parties and some analysts have denounced as an attempt to improve her prospects and disadvantage the centre-left.
The government rejects that criticism, saying the reform, which is due to be approved by the Senate this month after receiving a first green light at the lower house, is intended solely to help ensure elections produce stable governments.
(Reporting by Angelo AmanteEditing by Ros Russell)
