Ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi on
Thursday rejected some rare criticism of his leadership of Forza
Italia (FI) from within the centre-right party.
On Wednesday Regional Affairs Minister Mariastella Gelmini
complained at a meeting of FI lawmakers that the media
billionaire had effectively stopped engaging in dialogue with
senior members of his own party and listened more to the leaders
of the other centre-right parties.
"I don't know what happened with Minister Gelmini," Berlusconi
said as he arrived at the EPP's pre-summit meeting in Brussels.
"Yesterday's statements are the absolute opposite of reality.
"As regards relations with our ministers in the government, for
example, there has always been a meeting of the three ministers
with the leadership of Forza Italia every week.
"Today the newspapers were talking of a split.
"It's all an exaggeration. There is absolutely nothing for me to
worry about".
However, another FI bigwig, Civil Service Minister Renato
Brunetta, said Thursday that Gelmini, a long-standing Berlusconi
loyalist, had expressed the "widespread malaise" that exists
within the party.
Berlusconi also said Thursday that he thinks Premier Mario
Draghi should continue at the helm of government.
He said he thinks that, although Draghi would be excellent
president of the Italian republic, he is more useful to the
nation as premier at the moment.
President Sergio Mattarella's seven-year term as head of State
ends early next year.
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