Eight Senators and MPs with the
Civic Choice said Friday they would sit with Premier Matteo
Renzi's caucus and some would even join his centre-left
Democratic Party (PD), providing additional support as Renzi
pushes a series of institutional reforms through Parliament.
The eight said in a statement: "We welcome the invitation
of Renzi to follow a common path".
The migrants from Civic Choice include Gianluca Susta,
party leader in the Senate, Stefania Giannini, who is education
minister, Alessandro Maran, Linda Lanzillotta, Pietro Ichino,
Ilaria Borletti Buitoni, Irene Tinagli, and Carlo Calenda.
A reported split between Renzi and Silvio Berlusconi,
leader of the fractious opposition Forza Italia (FI) party,
raised questions about the future of the so-called Nazareno pact
on institutional reform.
The leaders of the two parties had reached that deal one
year ago on pushing through Parliament much-needed election
reforms and the abolition of the Senate as a lawmaking body.
Renzi has said that he believes that he has enough support
to pass his reforms to Italy's widely condemned election laws as
well as the institutional reforms - which require a two-thirds
majority if they are to avoid going to a referendum - with or
without the FI.
But the addition of the Civic Choice MPs and Senators will
give Renzi some extra cushioning during the votes.
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