Salvini has 'zero' interest in Senate reform

(ANSA) - Rome, September 14 - Matteo Salvini, leader of the anti-immigrant, anti-Euro Northern League Party, on Monday told journalists he has "zero" interest in the debate on Senate reform, but rather is interested in the Fornero pension reform.
    The so-called Fornero Law, passed at the height of the euro crisis in December 2011, raised retirement ages and left thousands of people without a job or pension.
    The reform came under fire for erasing the pensions of thousands of so-called 'esodati' (exiled ones).
    Meanwhile, Senator Paolo Romani of Forza Italia (FI) said that if the Senate reform bill wasn't open to changes that would allow for direct election of Senators, "it won't go anywhere".
    Romani called for an "opening on article 2", one of the most contentious parts of the bill, which turns the Senate into an assembly of local-government representatives and strips the Senators of election by universal suffrage. Romani said that his party is "absolutely" unanimous in its desire for direct elections.