Bersani wing says out of PD (3)

(ANSA) - Rome, February 21 - A leftwing minority in the Democratic Party (PD) led by former PD leader Pier Luigi Bersani and former House whip Roberto Speranza said Tuesday they had effectively split from the centre-left group and would take no part in further meetings or the party congress later this year.
    The PD split has long been brewing and came to a head Sunday when ex-premier Matteo Renzi quit as leader to force a fast track to a congress, ignoring rebels' pleas for a longer process. Bersani, Speranza and others have long criticised Renzi's shifting the party towards the centre and his allegedly high-handed treatment of dissenting voices. More recently, they have criticised his alleged lack of reflection after a crushing December defeat in a Constitutional reform referendum. According to pollsters the splinter group would get between 5% and 8% in a future general election. The rebels have said they will continue to back Premier Paolo Gentiloni, a PD member close to Renzi.