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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