Something of a showdown was expected Friday as the Democratic Party (PD) was scheduled to meet to discuss controversial government reforms that some party members have opposed.
Among those is former party secretary Pier Luigi Bersani, who told L'Avvenire newspaper in an interview that he would boycott the session convened by Matteo Renzi, who sent a letter to MPs after tensions over on labour market reforms and other issues.
Bersani said he feels deep disagreements on the government's Jobs Act and Constitutional reforms.
"I'm not even considering it," Bersani said of attending the meeting.
"I don't agree to party executives becoming movie extras". The former party chief also threatened to pull his support for the premier's so-called Italicum electoral law reform.
"If Constitutional reform continues in this way I will never agree to vote for the electoral law," he said.
Bersani charged that Renzi's Jobs Act labour reform "places the worker in a pre-1970s relationship with the power structure" and is therefore "outside the Constitutional order".
Some other prominent PD members suggested they have felt marginalized and may express that at the meeting.
For his part, Renzi has insisted that major issues have been discussed and voted on within the party, adding the PD is "open and inclusive".
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