ANSA) - Rome, October 10 - Premier and Democratic Party (PD) leader Matteo Renzi on Monday said he was offering a solution to a debate on Italy's electoral law so as to heal a PD rift on the December 4 referendum on overhauling Italy's political machinery. Opening A PD executive meeting, Renzi said that "ever since I've been leader there has never been a moment without internal rows, a permanent clash".
He told the PD executive that he was "trying to offer a solution" to heal the PD rift. "I have the task of facing the issue of the combination of the Constitutional reform and the electoral law," he said. "Since the Constitutional reform is so important it's my task to seek a point of agreement even more. If everyone tries to use the electoral law as an alibi, we'll dismantle them, so as not to miss the opportunity for Constitutional reform".
Renzi said that in order to heal the rift he proposed that the Italicum electoral law would be "immediately" tabled in the competent committees in the "two weeks after" the December 4 referendum.
Renzi said that the PD should open a "profound and serious discussion" about all aspects of the Italicum electoral law: "run-off yes or no - and you know what I think about that - bonus for the party or the coalition and the way MPs are elected (constituencies, preferences or - but I don't advise it - balloting). "This not to miss the chance" offered by the referendum, he said.
Renzi said a representative from the PD's dissenting minority should be included in a delegation to all other parties to "use these weeks and months" before the referendum to frame suggestions for a new electoral law immediately after the referendum. Renzi was set for another reckoning with Pier Luigi Bersani, one of his predecessors at the head of PD, at the meeting of the party executive.
At the meeting Bersani, a part of a minority within the PD that is frequently hostile to government policy and to Renzi's leadership of the party, was expected to announce he will vote No in the Constitutional referendum.
The overhaul seeks to end Italy's unusual 'perfect bicameralism' system blamed for decades of political gridlock.
It includes the controversial transformation of the Senate into an leaner assembly of local-government representatives with limited powers to save money and make passing legislation easier. On Sunday Renzi blasted Bersani, pointing out that he has "voted yes to this reform three times". Culture Minister Dario Franceschini called on the PD rebels to think again about voting No to the reform in an interview published Monday by Corriere della Sera, saying that "at the moment stronger leaders are needed, not weaker ones". Gianni Cuperlo, another senior PD figure who is frequently critical of Renzi, warned that the party was "in danger of a split".
In an interview with La Stampa, Cuperlo called on Renzi to appease his opponents within the PD by changing the Italicum election law to make sure people get to directly vote in the members of the revamped Senate.
Just before the executive met, Renzi took to the Internet to reiterate he was determined to change Italy. Renzi said in his e-news he was "doing his best" for a "changing Italy".
This was despite a climate of "permanent quarrelling, as if we were a cross between a petulant talk-show and a tiring soap opera," he said. Renzi recalled his recent tour of Italy campaigning for a Yes vote in the referendum and said there was "a lot of talk about technical and self-involved issues inside the Roman political world". Earlier, Renzi said Italy must "stop being the homeland of divisions and start being the homeland of vision" if Italians are to realise their "potential". The premier went on to say that "I've been premier for two and a half years.
"The fact that I became premier, and I'm not saying this in jest, shows that anything is possible in Italy.
"I don't come from an important family, I have no noble ancestors.
"And after these two and half years I come to tell you that I'm more convinced of out potential than on Day One.
"You can't go on saying No without proposing alternatives".
Meanwhile Rome Mayor Virginia Raggi said that she will meet Renzi "soon". When asked if the talks would include the cash-strapped capital's budget, Raggi replied: "yes, (we'll discuss) a little of everything". Renzi recently opened fire on Raggi for sinking Rome's bid for the 2024 Olympics last month.
Furthermore, Raggi's environment chief Paola Muraro said she was taking legal action against Renzi for saying she was linked to people in the Capital Mafia corruption case.
Muraro is under investigation for alleged misconduct during her 12-year tenure as a highly paid consultant at Rome's AMA trash company. Renzi argued this shows that Raggi's anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S) was not the break from the past it claims to be. Renzi's PD hit back by suing Raggi for tweeting Sunday that unlike the PD, the M5S was never in business with the Capital Mafia crime ring.
He told the PD executive that he was "trying to offer a solution" to heal the PD rift. "I have the task of facing the issue of the combination of the Constitutional reform and the electoral law," he said. "Since the Constitutional reform is so important it's my task to seek a point of agreement even more. If everyone tries to use the electoral law as an alibi, we'll dismantle them, so as not to miss the opportunity for Constitutional reform".
Renzi said that in order to heal the rift he proposed that the Italicum electoral law would be "immediately" tabled in the competent committees in the "two weeks after" the December 4 referendum.
Renzi said that the PD should open a "profound and serious discussion" about all aspects of the Italicum electoral law: "run-off yes or no - and you know what I think about that - bonus for the party or the coalition and the way MPs are elected (constituencies, preferences or - but I don't advise it - balloting). "This not to miss the chance" offered by the referendum, he said.
Renzi said a representative from the PD's dissenting minority should be included in a delegation to all other parties to "use these weeks and months" before the referendum to frame suggestions for a new electoral law immediately after the referendum. Renzi was set for another reckoning with Pier Luigi Bersani, one of his predecessors at the head of PD, at the meeting of the party executive.
At the meeting Bersani, a part of a minority within the PD that is frequently hostile to government policy and to Renzi's leadership of the party, was expected to announce he will vote No in the Constitutional referendum.
The overhaul seeks to end Italy's unusual 'perfect bicameralism' system blamed for decades of political gridlock.
It includes the controversial transformation of the Senate into an leaner assembly of local-government representatives with limited powers to save money and make passing legislation easier. On Sunday Renzi blasted Bersani, pointing out that he has "voted yes to this reform three times". Culture Minister Dario Franceschini called on the PD rebels to think again about voting No to the reform in an interview published Monday by Corriere della Sera, saying that "at the moment stronger leaders are needed, not weaker ones". Gianni Cuperlo, another senior PD figure who is frequently critical of Renzi, warned that the party was "in danger of a split".
In an interview with La Stampa, Cuperlo called on Renzi to appease his opponents within the PD by changing the Italicum election law to make sure people get to directly vote in the members of the revamped Senate.
Just before the executive met, Renzi took to the Internet to reiterate he was determined to change Italy. Renzi said in his e-news he was "doing his best" for a "changing Italy".
This was despite a climate of "permanent quarrelling, as if we were a cross between a petulant talk-show and a tiring soap opera," he said. Renzi recalled his recent tour of Italy campaigning for a Yes vote in the referendum and said there was "a lot of talk about technical and self-involved issues inside the Roman political world". Earlier, Renzi said Italy must "stop being the homeland of divisions and start being the homeland of vision" if Italians are to realise their "potential". The premier went on to say that "I've been premier for two and a half years.
"The fact that I became premier, and I'm not saying this in jest, shows that anything is possible in Italy.
"I don't come from an important family, I have no noble ancestors.
"And after these two and half years I come to tell you that I'm more convinced of out potential than on Day One.
"You can't go on saying No without proposing alternatives".
Meanwhile Rome Mayor Virginia Raggi said that she will meet Renzi "soon". When asked if the talks would include the cash-strapped capital's budget, Raggi replied: "yes, (we'll discuss) a little of everything". Renzi recently opened fire on Raggi for sinking Rome's bid for the 2024 Olympics last month.
Furthermore, Raggi's environment chief Paola Muraro said she was taking legal action against Renzi for saying she was linked to people in the Capital Mafia corruption case.
Muraro is under investigation for alleged misconduct during her 12-year tenure as a highly paid consultant at Rome's AMA trash company. Renzi argued this shows that Raggi's anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S) was not the break from the past it claims to be. Renzi's PD hit back by suing Raggi for tweeting Sunday that unlike the PD, the M5S was never in business with the Capital Mafia crime ring.
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