Democracy doesn't mean obstructionism (2)

(supersedes previous)(ANSA) - Rome, April 11 - Democracy doesn't mean obstructionism, Premier Matteo Renzi told the Lower House on Monday ahead of a final vote on his constitutional reform bill.
    "Democracy doesn't mean obstructionism or preventing other from voting or running away from the chamber," he said.
    "Democracy is debate followed by free expression through voting. Saying democracy is being harmed here means being at odds with reality and thinking the Italian people can't grasp what is going on. Running away from debate indicates a lack of arguments".
    The premier pointed out a total of 83,722,708 amendments have been filed to his constitutional reform bill while it was debated in 173 sessions of parliament. "Now I ask you, who is did the manipulating here - those who were open to debating the bill in all venues... or those who brought 83 million amendments with the sole purpose of not debating the points of convergence on their merit?" he asked.
    Opposition lawmakers who walked out on him today won't hold on to their seats for long, the center-left premier warned.
    "When election time comes around they will be left out of parliament, which I don't think will be a problem for the vast majority of voters," he said.
    Under Italian law, any changes to the Constitution must be approved by popular referendum. Renzi's reform would, among other things, reduce the Senate from its current 300 members to an assembly of 100 regional officials with limited lawmaking powers in a bid to break the gridlock Italian politics is famous for. Renzi has said in the past he is prepared to quit if the referendum nixes his reform. Italian Left (SI), a splinter of Renzi's Democratic Party (PD), joined the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S) and the rightwing, anti-immigrant Northern League in walking out during the premier's speech. The three opposition parties earlier called for a postponement of the final vote on the government's reform bill until after a no-confidence vote scheduled April 19. The Renzi government faces the no-confidence vote over an oil probe that has rocked the executive and caused Federica Guidi to resign as industry minister earlier this month.