(see related story)
Reform Minister Maria Elena Boschi
said Friday that the government's institutional reforms won't be
stopped by a group of rebels within Premier Matteo Renzi's
centre-left Democratic Party (PD).
"The process of reform is going ahead, you can't stop it
for a handful of Senators," said Boschi, a close ally of
Renzi's.
A group of 13 PD Senators suspended themselves from the
parliamentary caucus on Thursday after one of them, Corradino
Mineo, was taken off the Upper House's constitutional affairs
committee because he was not toeing the government's line.
The rebels says the decision to replace Mineo with the PD's
Senate whip Luigi Zanda on the commission is unconstitutional.
The government's plan to overhaul Italy's slow, costly
political apparatus includes a revamp of the Senate to turn it
into a leaner assembly of local-government representatives with
minimal law-making powers to save money and make passing
legislation easier.
Mineo, however, is part of a minority within the PD who
want the Senate to continue to be an elected assembly.
"No one asked them to suspend themselves," added Boschi.
"They'll have to decide whether to be part of the reform process
or make a different choice".
Another senior PD member, Luca Lotti, said the rebels
should not try to torpedo the reforms that got an endorsement of
sorts when the PD won over 40% in last month's European
elections.
"Thirteen Senators cannot be allowed to put into question
the will of 12 million voters and they cannot halt the reforms
that the Italian people have asked for," Lotti said.
"Mineo betrayed the agreement with the group. We are the
Democratic Party, not the Anarchy Party".
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
