Renzi-M5S govt would be swindle-Salvini

(ANSA) - Rome, August 13 - Interior Minister and League leader Matteo Salvini on Tuesday blasted the possibility that the Democratic Party (PD) and the 5-Star Movement (M5S) could form a government after he pulled the plug on Premier Giuseppe Conte's executive. "(Ex premier and PD bigwig Matteo) Renzi returning to government thanks to the M5S would be a swindle of the Italian people," Salvini said. "It would be shameful".
    Former party leader Matteo Renzi proposed the PD forming an administration with the M5S to pass the budget law and a reform cutting the number of lawmakers and take care of ordinary business until elections are held next year. The proposal was dismissed by PD leader Nicola Zingaretti after it caused a big row within the frequently fractious party and revived talk of a possible split that would reportedly see Renzi loyalists forming a separate group. Former culture minister Dario Franceschini, meanwhile, said Tuesday that he was in favour of the proposal made by fellow Democratic Party (PD) member Goffredo Bettini for the centre-left group to reach an agreement with the M5S for a government that would last for the rest of the current parliamentary term, rather than a few months.
    "Bettini has highlighted a path that is difficult to take, but it is intelligent and I think it is worth trying," Franceschini said via Twitter.
    "It will be full of hazards and we can only try if there is a pact with the PD: (we must) all work like a team, united around the leader (Nicola Zingaretti)".