“The leadership of the Democratic Party thanks Prime Minister Enrico Letta for the remarkable work he has done at the helm of the Government, he assumes Italy commitment as a contribution, but points out the need to create a new executive whose objective is the natural expiry of the legislature". This is the motion for a resolution put forward this afternoon by Matteo Renzi, secretary of the Democratic Party, to the leadership of the party. At the appointment the premier chose not to be present, Enrico Letta.
“I'm sorry to disappoint the behind the scenes – continued Renzi -, but here it is a question of understanding if we are in a position to open a new page. There are no relays when trying to change direction, speed, pace. We are at a crossroads: on the one hand the return to the vote, on the other the transformation of this legislature into a constituent legislature. In the last two months it has become evident that the Government's activity has experienced a difficult phase. The road to elections has its own charm and charm, but there is still no electoral law that can guarantee the victory of one or the other. There is no possibility of an immediate path, because the electoral reform must be linked to the overcoming of the perfect bicameral system in the Constitution”.
As for the second alternative, the Democratic secretary underlined that “setting up a legislative path is a difficult and risky choice. It can only make sense if you have the courage to say that the goal is 2018 and aim to change the rules of the game. Italy finds itself at this crossroads not because of the secretariat of the Democratic Party, because the party has never failed to support the government. For me it is certainly more difficult to choose this second path rather than waiting: getting involved now is a personal risk for me. But those who play politics have a duty to take risks in some moments”.
UPDATE AT 18 AND 30
In the evening, the National Directorate of the Democratic Party approved the document calling for a government led by Renzi until 2018. There were 136 votes in favour, 16 against, two abstentions.
"Following the decisions taken today by the national leadership of the democratic party - wrote the Premier in the evening -, I informed the President of the Republic, Giorgio Napolitano, of my willingness to go to the Quirinale tomorrow to resign as Prime Minister ”.
