Opposition demands reform vote delay

(ANSA) - Rome, April 11 - Three opposition parties on Monday requested the Lower House call a meeting of whips so they could ask for a postponement of the final vote on the government's bill to change the Constitution to revamp Italy's political institutions. Premier Matteo Renzi's government faces a no-confidence vote on April 19 over an oil probe that has rocked the executive. The request was first made by Arturo Scotto of the Italian Left (SI) party and similar petitions by Michele Dell'Orco of the 5-Star Movement (M5S) and Forza Italia's Renato Brunetta followed. Federica Guidi resigned as industry minister earlier this month over a wiretapped conversation with her oil-industry boyfriend, Gianluca Gemelli, about a government amendment to the Tempa Rossa project benefitting him in Basilicata. "It's absurd to reform the Constitution if you don't even know if we'll have a government on April 19 after the no-confidence motion," said Dell'Orco.