Former premier Matteo Renzi
caused last week's split in the centre-left Democratic Party
(PD), former PD leader and key splitter Pier Luigi Bersani said
Monday, denying Renzi's contention that another former premier
and key splitter, Massimo D'Alema, had orchestrated the split.
"Renzi is looking for the cause, but he shouldn't be so
humble: the cause is him, he did everything, the split in this
party has a producer and that producer is called Renzi", said
Bersani, Renzi's predecessor as PD leader.
Bersani was speaking in Modena, in the first rally organised
by the new leftwing party, the Movement of Democrats and
Progressives (MDP), which is led by former PD House whip Roberto
Speranza along with Tuscany Governor Enrico Rossi.
Renzi, who quit as PD leader earlier this month to trigger a
congress where he is expected to be re-elected, was long accused
by a dissenting leftwing minority of trying to turn the PD into
a personalised party and moving it too far towards the centre.
Things finally came to a head when he ignored their pleas to
put off the congress, spurring about 50 MPs to leave and form
the MDP.
The MDP, which is currently setting up its own caucuses in
the Lower House and Senate, has said it will continue to back PD
Premier Paolo Gentiloni.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
