Civati quits Renzi's Democratic Party

(ANSA) - Rome, May 6 - Pippo Civati, a Democratic Party (PD) member who challenged Premier Matteo Renzi in party primaries 18 months ago, said Wednesday he is quitting the PD. "Out of coherence with my beliefs and my voters' mandate, I no longer feel I can vote my confidence in the Renzi government," the Lower House MP told ANSA on the phone. A leading dissident within the premier's party, Civati in April called for a national referendum to amend Renzi's Italicum electoral reform, shortly after it became law with a confidence vote.
    "I know I won't vote for the Italicum (as it stands)," Civati said late last month.
    "I know if they call for a confidence vote three times, I will refuse it three times...everyone will lose, including those who are certain of victory at all costs," Civati wrote on his Facebook page at the time.
    Deep divisions have emerged within the PD over several government policies, with a group of minority rebels openly defying the party line on some issues.
    These include the government's Italicum and its planned revamp of Italy's political institutions - both of which are the result of the so-called Nazareno pact that Renzi struck last year with ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi, the leader of the opposition centre-right Forza Italia (FI) party. Berlusconi has since disavowed the pact.