Premier Matteo Renzi on Monday
told the New Centre Right (NCD) party, junior partners in his
coalition government, to "lick its wounds" and get over the
election of new President Sergio Mattarella at the weekend.
NCD leader Angelino Alfano told the party to vote in
favour of Mattarella but many members of the group felt
resentment that Renzi had managed to push through the candidate
of his centre-left Democratic Party (PD).
Indeed, Maurizio Sacconi quit as NCD's Senate whip in
protest.
"Today we must work calmly. Those who need to lick their
wounds should do so, but there's now needs for rows," Renzi told
RTL radio.
"We have elected a gentleman (as president). The day after
you have to start over - rows are part of old-style (Italian)
politics.
"We are here to govern Italy, not to shore up internal
alliances".
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