Leftwing dissenters within Premier
Matteo Renzi's Democratic Party (PD) challenged their leader
Monday as the party executive prepares to meet to debate and
vote on the premier's so-called Italicum electoral law reform
later in the day.
Rebel MP Pippo Civati called on fellow dissenters to
abstain as the executive vote has been transformed into "a
plebiscite and an ultimatum".
Former party leader Pier Luigi Bersani said he will attend
the meeting, adding he hoped Renzi won't be issuing any
ultimatums forcing dissenters to toe the party line.
"The party secretary's job is to try to synthesize
(different positions)," Bersani said.
Renzi's proposed reform will create "a type of
presidentialism with no counter-balances, a highway for
plebiscitary and populist impulses", Bersani added.
The hotly contested bill would replace the system that
contributed to the inconclusive outcome to the 2013 general
election, and was subsequently declared unconstitutional.
The Italicum is the result of a deal between Renzi and
former center-right premier Silvio Berlusconi, a fact which has
produced growing discomfort within the ranks of both leaders'
parties since it was first announced early in 2013.
It would among other provisions award bonus seats to the
party that garners at least 40% of the vote to ensure it has a
working majority in parliament.
A version of the bill passed the Senate in January, but 24
PD lawmakers declined to take part in the vote in protest.
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