Premier Matteo Renzi called
on voters not to use the December referendum on his government's
reform overhauling Italy's political machinery to get rid of
him.
"Don't use the referendum with the desire to bring down
the government," Renzi told RTL 102.5 radio.
"It would be a lost opportunity. It's better to vote on
the merits (of the package)".
The reform amends the Italian Constitution and, among
other things, turns the Senate into a leaner assembly of local
government representatives with limited powers.
It is aimed at saving money and making it easier to pass
legislation.
Renzi had said he would quit if he loses the referendum,
but has recently played this down, saying it was a mistake to
personalise the vote.
Almost all of Italy's opposition groups are campaigning
for a No vote.
Renzi said Silvio Berlusconi, another ex-premier, Massimo
D'Alema, a member of a rebel minority within his centre-left
Democratic Party (PD), and other figures from Italy's political
old guard were in favour of a No vote because they saw it as an
opportunity to "return to the field".
D'Alema dismissed the allegation, saying Renzi was
attacking the Italian people for being "naive".
"Renzi keeps repeating this nonsense about Berlusconi and
D'Alema wanting to use the referendum to make a comeback,"
D'Alema said.
"I don't intend to seek public positions. I assert my
right to oppose the reform as I judge it to be bad and
damaging".
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