Former Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi wants to give up chairmanship of Social Democratic Party, Partito Democratico (PD). The heavy defeat of Social Democrats in parliamentary elections on Sunday force party to turn a new side, said Renzi.
At same time, he stressed that PD would go to opposition and not join a government alliance. In vote on Sunday, Social Democratic PD was clearly behind populist five-Star Movement and right-wing extremist Lega, with only about 19 percent.
The party, which also belongs to Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, also lost important direct mandates in traditional social-democratic areas such as Tuscany or Umbria. In 2013 election, PD was still at 25.4 percent.
The PD could oretically close an alliance with five-Star Movement, which was strong in election, but also did not receive a majority. But after utterance of Renzis, that is questionable. However, coalition negotiations cannot begin until 23 March, when new Parliament comes toger for its first meeting.
"The party has made mistakes"The 43-year-old Renzi was once considered a beacon of hope that would lead Italy back out of crisis. At beginning of 2014, he had taken over post of prime minister after he had pushed his party colleague and predecessor Enrico Latvians out of office.
Renzis popularity began to wane when he declared constitutional referendum in December 2016 to vote on his own political future. After failure of referendum, he had to resign as head of government. In May of last year he had regained chairmanship of party. Especially left wing of his party, however, did not fit Renzis modernization course. Former party colleagues like previous Senate President Pietro Grasso joined election separately from PD with his own left Party Liberi e Uguali.
The party had made mistakes under his leadership, said Renzi. One of m was not to have already enforced 2017 elections.
The setback for PD is anor example of Kriselnde Social democratic parties in Europe. Before SPD slumped to a record low of only 20.5 percent in Bundestag election last September, 2017 had already had to accept Dutch Workers ' Party and Socialists in France a dramatic loss of votes in parliamentary elections. On or hand, in United Kingdom, Labour Party was able to gain profits in same year.
Date Of Update: 06 March 2018, 12:02
