Beppe Grillo said Wednesday
that he did not run his anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S)
like a dictator and argued that there was a lack of democracy in
Italy.
Grillo's handling of the Internet-based movement has come
under fire after the recent expulsion of several lawmakers and
some disappointing electoral performances.
"I'm not a dictator. I come here three or four times a
year and I'm amazed by the climate," Grillo told a press
conference at the Senate to present the M5S's drive for a
referendum on whether Italy should keep the euro as its
currency.
"Here the concept of democracy and freedom doesn't exist
any more. Do you know what (Premier Matteo) Renzi is?
"Even you journalists know and you whisper it in my ear".
Grillo also commented on the probe into alleged links
between mafiosi and politicians at the Rome city council.
"We should go further than dissolving the city council, we
should disintegrate it," Grillo said.
"Then a person voted by us should take over on an interim
basis as we are the only ones who have nothing to do with the
affair".
When commenting about reports regional elections in Lazio
may have been rigged, Grillo said "who's to say that (May's)
European elections were not rigged too?".
Grillo added that Rome's so-called 'Mafia Capitale'
syndicate was afraid of his movement, not Renzi's centre-left
Democratic Party (PD).
"I just read the wiretaps of (alleged group leaders
Massimo) Carminati and (Salvatore) Buzzi that talk about me:
Mafia Capitale is afraid of us. Not the PD," Grillo tweeted.
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