Ex-premier Matteo Renzi said he
expected Italy to hold elections at the end of the parliamentary
term next year in his first TV interview as a candidate in
leadership primaries of his centre-left Democratic Party (PD).
He also accused another ex-premier, Massimo D'Alema, of being
behind the split that saw a left-wing PD minority to break away
last week and form a new party - the Democrats and Progressives
(DP).
"I'm sorry because we did everything to prevent people
leaving, but we had the impression that is was a design that had
already been written," Renzi told State broadcaster RAI.
"Written, created and produced by Massimo D'Alema".
Tuscan Governor Enrico Rossi, part of the breakaway group,
hit back, accusing Renzi of being arrogant and obsessed by
D'Alema.
Renzi also said he would not try to bring down the current
government of Premier Paolo Gentiloni, his PD colleague.
"The elections are scheduled for 2018. Full stop. If
Gentiloni wants elections before, it is up to him," he said.
The PD is set to hold leadership primaries on April 30.
Renzi is being challenged for by Justice Minister Andrea
Orlando, Puglia Governor Michele Emiliano and Carlotta Salerno,
a Turin party chief.
Renzi resigned as premier in December after almost three
years in office following the rejection of his flagship
Constitutional reform in a referendum.
Renzi, who has been accused of arrogance, trying to make the
PD a personalised party and moving it too far to the centre, was
replaced as premier by former foreign minister Gentiloni.
He quit as PD leader earlier this month to trigger the
process of a new congress to be able to stand to get a renewed
mandate as leader.
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