Renzi denies Democratic Party in crisis

(ANSA) - Rome, November 24 - Democratic Party (PD) leader and ex-premier Matteo Renzi on Friday denied the ruling center-left party is in crisis with the resurgence of the center-right Forza Italia (FI) of ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi. "I am surprised by the debate on the PD's crisis and the success of Forza Italia", said Renzi, whose party dropped again in the latest Index Research weekly poll Friday.
    "Let's hope that we will be able to reason soon, with the election, on numbers rather than feelings", the ex-premier told the radio Anch'io program of State radio Rai 1.
    Renzi also said there would be no further talk on alliances and that the new Rosatellum election law, which encourages coalitions and assigns two-thirds of seats with proportional representation, will benefit the PD rather than FI.
    "We will choose the best candidates who will make the difference ".
    Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano, leader of the centrist AP group that is part of the government coalition, ruled out any alliance with the center right.
    Meanwhile Senate Speaker Pietro Grasso who quit the ruling PD caucus for the mixed group last month, said he has not decided yet whether he will run as the leader of a left-wing coalition in upcoming elections.
    Grasso left the PD caucus last month after the PD pushed the new election law through parliament with eight confidence votes, five of them in the Senate.
    The PD recently fared poorly in Sicilian elections in an alliance with the centrist AP party, its junior partner in government. It is looking to build alliances to the left but the MDP splinter group is pushing for Renzi to go before forging an alliance.
    The PD has now called off any colaition-building efforts that would include the MDP.