(see related story on political situation)
MPs Annalisa Baroni and Giusy Versace
on Monday became the latest figures to quit Silvio Berlusconi's
Forza Italia (FI) after it helped put an end to outgoing Premier
Mario Draghi's government of national unity last week.
Several politicians have left the centre-left group in protest,
including Civil Service Minister Renato Brunetta and Regional
Affairs Minister Mariastella Gelmini.
Minister for the South Mara Carfagna is also reportedly close to
jumping ship.
"The position adopted by the party in the middle of the crisis
of government was disconcerting," Baroni said.
"I would never have expected FI to rob the 5-Star Movement (M5S)
and (M5S leader Giuseppe) Conte of the responsibility for
bringing down the executive, condemning the country to
instability.
"I no longer identify with this FI, which has been following
(League leader Matteo) Salvini and his populism for some time.
"Mariastella Gelmini is right when she says there is no longer
space for moderates in Forza Italia".
Former paralympic athlete Versace, cousin to fashion designers
Gianni Versace, Donatella Versace and Santo Versace, echoed
those comments.
"It was our duty to ensure stability for the country and
continuity to this government, which was doing its job well, by
taking it to the end of the parliamentary term in a few months'
time with altruism and coherence," she said.
"I would never have imaged ending this parliamentary term with
so much sadness and disappointment".
FI Coordinator Antonio Tajani, meanwhile, denied reports that
Berlusconi had agreed a pact with Salvini for the ex-premier to
become Senate Speaker, Italy's second-highest institutional role
after the president, in the new parliament in exchange for bring
down the Draghi government.
Tajani suggested that the role was not imprtant enough for
Berlusconi to want to bargain for.
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