The center-right Forza Italia
(FI) party of ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi must be revamped
after its resounding defeat in regional elections at the
weekend, FI MP Raffaele Fitto said Monday.
Candidates backed by Premier Matteo Renzi's centre-left
Democratic Party (PD) triumphed in Sunday's regional elections
in Emilia-Romagna and Calabria, amid record low turnout.
Stefano Bonaccini won in Emilia-Romagna with over 49% of
the vote, compared to almost 30% for the separatist,
anti-migrant Northern League's Alan Fabbri, who was backed by
centre-right parties.
In Calabria, Mario Gerardo Oliverio was set to win with
over 61%, with most of the count complete, with the
centre-right's Wanda Ferro taking around 23% of the votes.
The League was the only centre-right party to make big
gains in Sunday's regional elections, claiming over 20% of the
vote in Emilia-Romagna, more than twice as much as ex-premier
Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia (FI).
"At the very least, we must get rid of all our candidates
in order to get off to a new start and a true phase of renewal,"
said Fitto, the one-time confidant of Berlusconi.
The latter said earlier this month that he would work on
"relaunching and refounding FI" and that he has "recovered
unity" with Fitto.
"I sincerely hope no one will dare minimize or seek alibis
for the dramatic results in Calabria and Emilia Romagna," Fitto
went on.
"Enough of this ambiguous, incomprehensible political line,
one that oscillates between extremes of total submission to the
(center-left) government and outright insults," he added.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
