Italy’s Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has said the government expected to take a decision by Friday over an Italy-France high-speed rail link causing tensions within the populist coalition.

“The decision will be taken in the national interest and for this reason the government cannot fall [over this],” Conte told reporters in Rome.

The project, known in Italy as ‘TAV’ and meant to connect the cities of Turin and Lyon, has been delayed for months because Italy’s ruling 5-Star Movement opposes it while coalition partner the League is in favor.

Stefano Buffagni, undersecretary of the environmentally friendly 5-Star, said his party was ready to quit government if the multi-billion-euro project went ahead.

Matteo Salvini, leader of the pro-business League, has said it would cost more to abandon the project than to do it.