Premier Matteo Renzi opened a meeting
of the executive of his Democratic Party (PD) Monday by saying
the PD was a party that debated things openly rather than being
run by "dynasties".
He did not specify which parties he was referring to.
Renzi then recalled former Christian Democrat statesman Aldo
Moro and Sicilian anti-mafia campaigner Peppino Impastato, both
killed on this day in 1978 - one by the Red Brigades and the
other by Cosa Nostra.
He also called for the PD to "make an effort not to be
ashamed of what we have achieved and what is yet to be
achieved".
"I'm not asking for a moratorium on controversy," he said
after several recent corruption probes hit the centre-left
group.
"I don't want to underplay the many problems we have at the
local level - which are fewer than the media would have us
believe, and more than there should be".
Renzi said courts must swiftly sentence corrupt officials
if they find them guilty.
"It is a civil duty to know whether or not there are people
who are polluting," he said. "It is a country's duty not to live
off impulsive valuations...let trials take place and let us at
the same time respect the sentences - you will never find me
commenting on a sentence once it's been handed down".
He also slammed what he said is a double standard in how
other parties - such as the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement
(M5S) and rightwing anti-immigrant Northern League - deal with
official corruption in their midst.
"(Some) are civil libertarians with their own and tough on
crime with others (but) we are genuine civil libertarians - we
aren't asking for (M5S Livorno Mayor Filippo) Nogarin to
resign".
Nogarin was notified Saturday he is under investigation for
fraudulent bankruptcy conspiracy in connection with the city
trash collection company.
The premier went on to give a pep talk ahead of June 5
local elections across Italy, saying (PD) leaders must "proudly
hoist the PD banner" and lay claim to party achievements on the
European, national and local level "so we can gain one or two
points, especially in cities where we risk not making the runoff
vote".
After that vote, Renzi said he plans to revamp the party
secretariat. "By the end of the year we will modify it in a
clear, open and frank way," he told the PD executive.
He urged them to put aside "internal bickering" and wage
"five months of extraordinary mobilisation in as many
municipalities as possible" for an October referendum on his
constitutional reform law overhauling Italy's political
apparatus.
The center-left premier said he would not "personalise" the
referendum on his flagship reform of Italy's political
machinery, but repeated that he would step down if he lost it.
Right after that vote, he said, the PD must start preparing
for its 2017 congress, which he asked the executive to bring
forward by a few months. "I will be there," he said.
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