Former premier and centrist Italia
Viva (IV) party leader Matteo Renzi reiterated Tuesday IV was
ready to quit the government in a row over a range of policies.
Renzi has repeatedly threatened to pull his ministers from the
administration led by the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement
(M5S) and the centre-left Democratic Party (PD), of which he was
once leader before breaking away.
He has mostly cited disagreements over the government's Recovery
Plan to spend Italy's 209 billion euros of the European Union's
750 billion euro Recovery Fund.
On Tuesday Renzi dismissed as "chat" speculation that the row
could be resolved with a reshuffle.
"We are the only ones ready to quit our posts," said Renzi, who
has two IV ministers.
"If our ideas are not needed, you can keep your posts"
Renzi this time cited a wider range of differences, over "health
spending, high-speed trains, vaccines, education, culture and
jobs".
He said that IV had a "political problem, not a personal one"
with Premier Giuseppe Conte.
The Italian media has speculated that, aside from a reshuffle,
there may be a government crisis that could lead to Conte being
reappointed to head a new government.
Failing that, there may be a snap general election.
The centre-right opposition, led by nationalist League leader
and former interior minister Matteo Salvini, says it is ready
for an election, which it has called for citing continued
government infighting.
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