Premier Matteo Renzi will quit
whether he wins or loses Sunday's Constitutional reform
referendum, anti-immigrant and anti-euro Northern League leader
Matteo Salvini told an ANSA forum Wednesday.
"I think Renzi will upend things anyway,
whether the Yes or No wins, 'pace' the Financial Times and the
markets," he said.
If ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi tries "shady deals" after a
No vote, there would be no alliance with the Northern
League, Salvini told the forum.
"If Berlusconi gave life to other shady deals our paths would
part and I would vote (in a general election) immediately," He
said.
Salvini went on to say that he would not necessarily trust
President Sergio Mattarella if the No vote wins the referendum
and Renzi quits.
"I don't trust anyone blindly, I don't sign blank cheques, in
these years there has been a hidden orchestration that heeded
Brussels, all references to (former president Giorgio)
Napolitano are deliberate, let's see from the 5th (of December)
onwards," he said.
Salvini added that The US banks, ratings agencies and media
rooting for a Yes vote in favour of Renzi in the referendum are
"vultures, jackals!".
"If Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan and the Financial Times tell
us to vote Yes, it's clear that the Italians will know what to
do and will vote No," he said.
"Italy is not a country on sale", he said.
"Why are they defending Renzi and his reform? Because they
are obeying the powers that be and they are supporting them,
thinking that Italy is a country up for sale".
Salvini is among a host of opposition leaders campaigning
for a No vote in the referendum on the government's overhaul of
Italy's political machinery.
He has consistently said he would like to see a snap general
election if Renzi quits as he has sometimes vowed to do in the
event of the reform being rejected.
But before this happens, Salvini has recognised that a new
electoral law would have to be passed.
The Constitutional reform aims to end gridlock and make
passing legislation cheaper by turning the Senate into a leaner,
regionally based based body with fewer lawmaking powers.
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