ROME: Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi sought Monday to avoid a rift in his Democratic Party over an upcoming referendum on constitutional reforms.
The changes are aimed at increasing political stability in a country which has had 63 governments since 1945, with Renzi’s future riding on the outcome of the December 4 plebiscite.
For months the centre-left Democratic Party has been split on the issue, with a minority of lawmakers deeming the mooted reforms and the new electoral law which would accompany them to be dangerous to democracy.
In a bid to assuage the reforms’ opponents within his own party, Renzi on Monday proposed a party committee be set up, including at least one member of the dissenting minority, to propose a new electoral law, but only after the December 4 referendum.
However one of the main voices among the naysayers, Gianni Cuperlo, warned that he would still vote against the proposed constitutional amendments unless changes are made ahead of the poll.
Cuperlo added that he would resign from parliament if the plans weren’t changed.
Like other “rebels” he also warned of a possible split in the Democratic Party’s ranks.
