Premier Giuseppe Conte is
bemused by ex-premier Matteo Renzi's decision to split from the
Democratic Party (PD), sources said on Tuesday.
Renzi, a former leader of the PD, phoned Conte on Monday to
reassure him that he and his loyalists would continue to support
his new government, based on an alliance between the PD and the
5-Star Movement (M5S).
Renzi was instrumental in the formation of the new government
after League leader Matteo Salvini pulled the plug on Conte's
first government last month.
"During the telephone call he received from Matteo Renzi
yesterday evening, Premier Conte made it clear that he did not
want to go into the internal dynamics of a party," premier's
office sources said.
"However, he expressed his perplexity about an initiative
that introduces new elements into the parliamentary equilibriums
that were not anticipated at the time of the formation of the
government.
"While remaining silent about the merits of the initiative,
the timing of this operation, announced immediately after the
completion of the government team, is peculiar".
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