MDP budget-law support 'not guaranteed'

(ANSA) - Rome, September 13 - The Progressive and Democratic Movement (MDP), a junior partner in Premier Paolo Gentiloni's coalition government, on Wednesday threatened not to vote in favour of the 2018 budget law.
    The MDP, made up primarily of former members of the ruling Democratic Party (PD) of Gentiloni and ex-premier Matteo Renzi, is angry that a bill that would grant citizenship to migrant children born on Italian soil who have completed five years in the Italian school system has stalled.
    The PD's Senate whip decided not to push for so-called Ius Soli bill to be put on the schedule for the September because it does not have enough support in the Upper House.
    The bill is opposed, as well as by rightwing populist and centre-right conservative parties, by the another junior coalition partner, the centre-right Popular Area (AP), led by Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano. "If the (bill for a new) election law breaks down after the Ius Soli, it will be clear that the fabric of cooperation with the government is tearing," said the MDP's Alfredo D'Attorre.
    "At this point, our votes on the DEF (economic blueprint) and the budget law cannot be taken for granted".