A reform of the statute of limitation is creating tension within the government coalition with the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S) vouching for the measure and ruling partners, the center-left Democratic Party (PD) and Matteo Ranzi's Italia Viva (IV), hitting the breaks.
In an interview to Rome daily Messaggero published on Wednesday ex-premier Matteo Renzi warned that he was ready to vote a proposal presented by Forza Italia (FI) opposition lawmaker Enrico Costa to halt the measure.
"We will not bow to judicial populism and if there will be no agreement" on the reform within the cabinet coalition "we will vote Enrico Costa's" proposal, Renzi told the newspaper.
The reform promoted by M5S Justice Minister Alfonso Bonafede stops the statute of limitations after first-instance trials.
The justice ministry has said it does not intend to change the measure, which was tabled by the previous government, formed by M5S and the right-wing League party.
Costa has proposed to halt the reform to stop the statute of limitations after the first rung of Italy's three-tier justice system, which comes into effect on January 1, 2020.
Premier Giuseppe Conte said the cabinet was working for a "compromise" on the reform in order to stop to the statute of limitations after first-instance trials "but with measures ensuring the reasonable length of a trial" to quicken Italy's snail-paced justice system.
photo: Matteo Renzi
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