Renzi dismisses doubts about Senate majority

(ANSA) - Rome, July 31 - Premier Matteo Renzi said Friday that his government still has a majority in the Senate after the executive lost a vote related to its reform of State broadcaster RAI on Thursday, in part due to a rebellion by some members of his own centre-left Democratic Party (PD). "We have the numbers in the Senate," Renzi told a news conference after a cabinet meeting. "The (rebel) minority in the PD wanted to give a political signal, but we'll keep going, more determined than ever". The Senate approved the RAI bill on Friday with 142 votes in favour and 92 against and it now goes to the Lower House. But on Thursday the government suffered an alarming defeat over an amendment to the bill on the delegation of power to the executive to overhaul the licence fee Italian viewers pay to help finance RAI. Renzi loyalists complained the government had been stabbed in the back after rebel PD members joined opposition parties in voting against the administration. The defeat was the latest of a series of revolts over government reforms from a minority within the PD that is unhappy with Renzi's leadership.
    Renzi downplayed his government's defeat over part of its bill. "The RAI reform law was approved in its first reading, with a few incidents yesterday and a negative vote on an amendment, but that didn't stop it being wrapped up in the Senate," he said. "We'll see whether to correct the bill in the Lower House and how to do do".
    Also on Friday, Renzi said his government will submit its nomination for RAI's next president and CEO on August 5. "Relations between RAI and politics must be BBC-style - absolutely independent," he said. The RAI board must be renewed "per the (current) law" and will serve until 2018, he added.
    Also on Friday, the premier defended the Senate's decision not to lift the parliamentary immunity of Senator Antonio Azzollini, which would have led to his immediate arrest on a warrant from Trani prosecutors for suspected fraud and racketeering.
    "We are not a rubber stamp for...prosecutors," said Renzi, whose party has come under fire because many PD Senators voted to save Azzollini.