Justice Minister Andrea Orlando
said Thursday that he will challenge ex-premier Matteo Renzi for
the leadership of the centre-left Democratic Party (PD) at an
upcoming congress.
PD sources said the most likely date for primaries was April
9.
"I have decided to stand because I believe that politics
should not just be arrogance and I am not resigned to that,"
Orlando said on the sidelines of an initiative in the Rome
seaside district of Ostia.
Puglia Governor Michele Emiliano has said he too will stand
for the leadership, having opted not to join a group of
left-wingers headed by former PD chief Pier Luigi Bersani who
have broken away due to differences with Renzi.
Bersani and his allies said Tuesday that they were quitting
after Renzi refused to make a series of concessions to them and
moved ahead with triggering a congress where he aims to be
re-elected as party chief with a renewed mandate.
"I have decided to stand because I think responsibility is
required and I believe that the PD must change profoundly to be
truly useful to Italy and the problems of the Italian people,
who are going through difficult times at the moment," Orlando
said.
Renzi, who is on a fact-finding trip to the United States
about growth and job creation, resigned as premier in December
after almost three years in office following the rejection of
his flagship Constitutional reform in a referendum.
Several prominent members of the left-wing PD minority
campaigned for a No vote in the referendum.
Renzi's place was taken by former foreign minister Gentiloni,
also a PD member.
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