(ANSA) - Rome, September 14 - Luigi Di Maio, a senior lawmaker for the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S), said Wednesday that an ad hoc government may be needed to pass a new election law if the No vote wins in the autumn referendum on the government's institutional revamp. Premier Matteo Renzi has said he may quit if the Constitutional reform is rejected. "We want to be in government with the votes of the Italian people, but, at the same time, we know that there will probably be time for the election law if the No vote wins", Di Maio said.
Alessandro Di Battista, like Di Maio a member of the M5S's 'directorate' leadership panel, on Tuesday mooted the idea of an ad hoc government to change the much criticised Italicum law before taking the Italian people back to the ballot box.
"If the No vote wins and Renzi quits, it will be up to the President (Sergio Mattarella) to plot the course," Di Maio added.
"The president will decide whether to dissolve parliament, identify someone to form a new government or ask parliament to change the election law with an outgoing government and then hold elections.
"These are three hypotheses of mine, but President Mattarella may have others".
The M5S is ready to rule Italy should Renzi quit after losing an autumn referendum on his institutional revamp and President Sergio Mattarella opts for an ad hoc government to change the electoral law ahead of new elections, another M5S MP said Wednesday.
"If the Italian president were to ask for (a government) to achieve electoral reform the M5S would be ready," said Manlio Di Stefano.
He said the ad hoc government would, in addition to the electoral law, also deal with justice reform, corruption and a basic income, "before returning to the ballot box".