Di Maio blasts MP 'cattle market'

(ANSA) - Rome, December 12 - Foreign Minister and 5-Star Movement (M5S) leader Luigi Di Maio expressed scorn on Thursday after Senator Ugo Grassi left the M5S to join Matteo Salvini's rightwing League party.
    Salvini announced Grassi had joined the League after the latter rebelled against the government in a vote on the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) on Wednesday.
    "If there are other Senators like Grassi they shouldn't use something fake like the ESM (as an excuse)," Di Maio said.
    "They should say that they want to change sides and betray the mandate the citizens gave them.
    "There's nothing wrong with it. "But they should go back home or put up a cattle market price list". Di Maio said the driving factor of the switch was the obligation for M5S lawmakers to give back a slice of their salaries to finance good causes and the movement's two-term limit for its elected representatives.