Up to parties to decide says Renzi

(ANSA) - Rome, December 7 - Outgoing Premier Matteo Renzi said Wednesday it was not up to him but up to the political parties to decide how to go forward in Italy's government crisis. "It's not me who decides but it must be the parties - all the parties - who must take on their responsibilities. The point is not what the outgoing premier wants, but what parliament proposes," he said in his e-news, referring to upcming talks led by President Sergio Mattarella after Renzi resigns Wednesday evening.
    A general election can be held either with an electoral law modified according to a January 24 Constitutional Court ruling on the so-called Italicum law or after a broad-based government "tackles the electoral law but above all a 2017 (that will be) very important on an international level," Renzi said.
    "It will be up to the parliamentary caucuses to decide what to do" in consultations with Mattarella, he reiterated.
    Renzi addressed Italians directly in his e-news, saying "we'll find a way not to squander the beauty of what you have done. Of what you are. There are millions and millions of Italians who believe in another model of politics. "We saw them at the (2014) European elections (when his Democratic Party polled 41%), we saw them in (Sunday's) referendum, we'll see them in the future. "Now, though, one step at a time and above all: you can lose a referendum, but not your good humour, never!. Renzi recalled that the Yes vote got over 13 million votes in the referendum, reaping about 40% to the No vote's 60%.
    Renzi added that he was "ready to give the (premier's) bell to my successor, with a hug and best wishes for his job." He said that "we are writing a detailed report to hand over and we're packing up our boxes. "Boxes that bring us many smiles and a few bitter memories. "But the history of these 1,000 days (in government) won't be told by the rancorous comments of these hours", said the outgoing premier, who is set to hand in his resignation to Mattarella at 19:00 local (18:00 GMT).