(ANSA) - Rome, January 27 - Ten lawmakers for comedian-turned-politician Beppe Grillo's 5-Star Movement (M5S) announced Tuesday that they want to leave the anti-establishment group. It is the latest in a long series of losses due to defections or expulsions for the M5S, which won a quarter of the vote in the 2013 general election. The parliamentarians, who said they will join the so-called Mixed Group, are Mara Mucci, Walter Rizzetto, Tancredi Turco, Aris Prodani, Samuele Segoni, Eleonora Bechis, Marco Baldassarre, Sebastiano Barbanti, Gessica Rostellato.
Many former M5S lawmakers have left the party saying they were disillusioned with Grillo's uncompromising stance on refusing to reach agreements with the traditional parties and with his allegedly authoritarian running of the movement. The latest round of defections was reportedly linked to disagreements over the movement's position ahead of a vote this week for a successor to ex-president Giorgio Napolitano. The M5S has refused to enter talks with Premier Matteo Renzi's Democratic Party (PD) ahead of the vote for the new head of State.
The PD said Tuesday that the 10 lawmakers would be invited to talks later on the day with other ex-M5S members about the new president