Women MP quotas 'meant to derail election reform'
Santanché says Letta loyalists taking revenge on Renzi
10 March, 17:39
(see related)
(ANSA) - Rome, March 10 - An MP from ex-premier Silvio
Berlusconi's party on Monday said her female peers demanding
minimum quotas for women in Lower House were using the issue to
derail Premier Matteo Renzi's landmark election reform and take
revenge on him for pushing his predecessor out of office.
"It's not a battle of the sexes. It's to take revenge and
make Renzi pay for his behavior regarding Enrico Letta," Daniela
Santanché told Italian daily La Repubblica.
Santanché, known as Berlusconi's 'pythoness' for her fiery
defence of the former premier, leapt to the defence of Renzi in
light of a deal he struck with Berlusconi earlier this year to
reform Italy's electoral process.
That move, made while Renzi was still just mayor of
Florence, was seen as pivotal in his rise to power and Letta's
coinciding decline, brought about in a party coup led by Renzi
to strip him of the premiership.
Santanché said that among the 90 signatories to appeal for
a minimum quota for women in the House, "I don't see any who are
Renzi loyalists".
On Monday those same women wore white to the House in a
sign of protest.Santanché was dressed in pink.
