It would be a "mistake" for opposition
parties to refuse to engage in political discussion on proposed
institutional reforms, Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister
Antonio Tajani said on Sunday.
If the opposition says no, "we will go ahead anyway, then there
will be a referendum," Tajani told 'Mezz'ora in più' on Rai3.
"Majority and opposition: solutions must be found together," he
added.
Opposition parties have been summoned to meet with Premier
Giorgia Meloni on Tuesday to begin discussions on proposed
constitutional reforms to introduce a semi-presidential system
similar to the one in France.
Meloni made introducing such a reform by the end of this
parliamentary term a central part of her campaign manifesto.
"For Italy, a presidential style of government could be a
solution, I see it as going down better with political forces. I
am pragmatic, I am interested in stability," continued Tajani.
"I think citizens have the right to choose their government," he
added.
Earlier in the day centre-left Democratic Party (PD) whip
Francesco Boccia said his party would "go and listen" to the
proposals, but that "the debate will take place in parliament".
"For us the priority remains the economic and social emergency
about which the government is not doing enough," he added.
Populist opposition party Five Star Movement (M5S) leader and ex
premier Giuseppe Conte took a similar line.
"We will listen but we will make it clear from the beginning
that negotiations must grow out of a shared diagnosis. Then we
will start discussing remedies," he said.
On Sunday the regions also asked to be included in the
discussions.
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