Conte convinced he has numbers, IV to opposition - Renzi

(ANSA) - ROME, JAN 12 - Ex-premier and centrist Italia Viva (IV) party leader Matteo Renzi said Tuesday Premier Giuseppe Conte was "convinced" he would have enough parliamentary support without IV which was therefore set to join the opposition.
    "If the premier has taken this line he is clearly convinced he has the numbers an that's OK, it's called parliamentary democracy and we'll go into opposition," said the former leader of the centre-left Democratic Party (PD).
    With IV's upcoming defection over the COVID Recovery Plan, Conte needs 18 Senators to make up for the loss of Renzi's party.
    Observers said he was likely to get them.
    IV's partners, the 5-Star Movement, the Democratic Party and Free and Equal, have urged Renzi not to trigger a government crisis by pulling his two ministers. (ANSA).