Premier Matteo Renzi said a row
about alleged fraud in the foreign vote in Sunday's
Constitutional reform referendum was like watching an old film.
"It's a film that comes on again every so often, the foreign
vote was proposed by then centre-right minister (Mirko)
Tremaglia and voted by the left. I don't understand why they say
that there (in the foreign voting) there is fraud, why fuel
tensions and polemics?"
The anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S) has claimed
there culd be fraud both in the way the foreign vote is
collected and in alleged bias towards a Yes vote for the
government's overhaul of Italy's political machinery.
Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni also weighed into the row
Friday.
Speaking of fraud in the foreign vote, he said, "is not only
nonsense but is also offensive for all the institutions carrying
out this task".
"When I see in certain papers that the consular
or diplomatic network has urged people to vote Yes I am forced
to intervene to defend the institution I represent," Gentiloni
said.
"There is a foreign-voting system and like in every country
you vote by correspondence, and naturally that brings levels of
delicacy greater than a voting station guarded by the army,"
Gentiloni added.
The M5S and other opponents of Renzi's reform have said they
may appeal if it is approved thanks to the votes of Italians
abroad.
"We believe fundamental principles of the law covering
Italians living abroad have been violated," the 'No' committee
said last week.
"We'd be very upset if the 'Yes' win by a small margin (due
to those votes). There are grounds for an appeal".
Gentiloni last week defended voting procedures for Italians
who live abroad after M5S MP Daniele Del Grosso accused the
government of "being unable to guarantee" the vote abroad can't
be tampered with, and also of sending letters from Renzi arguing
for a 'Yes' vote at the same time as the ballot slips.
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