Members of Italian
centre-right party Forza Italia and the rightwing Northern
League accused U.S. Ambassador to Italy John Phillips of
inappropriate meddling on Tuesday after he spoke out against a
No vote in the country's referendum on political reform late
this year.
Phillips earlier said a No vote against Premier Matteo
Renzi's reform, which amends the Constitution and turns the
Senate into a leaner assembly, "would be a step back for foreign
investment in Italy".
Paolo Romani, head of former premier Silvio Berlusconi's
Forza Italia group in the Senate, said the comments were "undue
interference" from Phillips.
"It's frankly a lapse that we wouldn't have expected," said
Romani, arguing that a No vote would not have the negative
consequences mentioned by the U.S. representative.
Berlusconi on Friday criticised Renzi and the
constitutional reform, saying that it was a way for the premier
and his Democratic Party (PD) to tighten their grip on power.
Gianluca Pini, a deputy from the Northern League, described
Phillip's statements as "an inappropriate and rude attempt" by
U.S. President Barack Obama to keep Renzi in power.
On Monday it was announced that Obama will lay on a State
dinner for Renzi at the White House on October 18.
Rightwing populist anti-euro and anti-immigrant League
leader Matteo Salvini said Phillips "should mind his own
business".
Italy is set to vote in late November or early December on
the reform that would turn the Senate into a leaner, regionally
based assembly with limited law-making powers, cutting gridlock
and expenses.
A No vote would have a knock-on effect on the government of
Renzi, who initially said he would quit if the reform was
defeated but has recently hinted that would no longer be so.
Italy's business leaders have come out strongly for a Yes vote.
photo: League leader Salvini
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