MNI SOURCES: Italy Democrat Unease Up On Renzi Candidate List

--Deselection Of Party Faithful Fuelling Anger On Party Margins

By Silvia Marchetti

     ROME (MNI) - Italy's ruling Democrat party risks losing votes to opposition

leftist parties following a decision by their leader Matteo Renzi to cherry pick

candidates for the upcoming election, limiting opportunities for members of the

party's wings, several party officials have told Market News.

     "Renzi is carrying out a dangerous political operation. He is trying to

suppress party members critical of his leadership by favouring only those

closest to him," said Democrat senator Sergio Lo Giudice, among those dropped by

former prime minister Renzi from party election lists ahead of the March 4 vote.

     Last week, Renzi presented a list of running candidates which was not

discussed among party members before voting to finalise the list, triggering

anger among the minority blocks.

     The list of Democrat candidates running in March has seen Renzi reduce the

number of those from the fringe wings of the party, opening it up to younger

figures who have stood by him since 2014.

     --NOT WINNING STRATEGY

     Lo Giudice argued that the strategy was far from being a "winning one" and

betrayed the founding principles of Italy's centre-left.

     "The Democrat party was born from the union of different political

cultures, it's always been a plural formation open to critical voices. But Renzi

wants to reduce it to one flat position. The risk is that the Democrats will

stop being a mass party able to govern," he said.

     If Renzi wins the March vote, the restyling he's giving the party will see

him struggle to govern alone, warned Lo Giudice. The greatest danger lies in the

repercussions of a "one-man" party and reducing consent across the party

spectrum likely would drain more votes in favour of other political groups, he

said.

     The Democrats and particularly Renzi are facing declining poll ratings,

suggesting support has dropped from 40% in 2016 to a barely 27% today. 

     The party's recent split with the anti-Renzi old-guard has already led to

the rise of a new leftist party, Free and Equal, that is running in March and

analysts suggest could win up to 7% of votes.

     Renzi himself no longer takes for granted that he will be Italy's next

premier, even if the Democrats win. But the last thing he needs now is further

dissent within his own party.

     --DROPPING PARTY LOYALISTS

     But Renzi isn't just "compressing" the wings of the party, but removing

members of the mainstream Democrat majority, simply because they "are loyal to

the government and party, rather than to Renzi himself," said a Democrat deputy,

who asked not to be named. 

     The deputy, who has not been re-confirmed as a candidate for next month's

election, complained that Renzi was trying to de-select everyone who is not a

"yes-man". 

     However, this approach will only end up damaging Renzi, the deputy said, as

he has dropped senior high-level figures across a broad section of knowledge in

favour of "lackeys".

     According to the deputy, although highly debatable, sweeping away the

party's old guard when Renzi rose to power in 2014 was one thing, but getting

rid of valuable deputies and senators who have contributed to some of the

party's revolutionary labour and economic reforms is quite another.

     In his view, Renzi was making a terrible mistake in following the steps of

former premier Silvio Berlusconi, with whom he apparently shares the "same

tyrannical leadership style", a style that will ultimately isolate and

disempower him.

     Obviously not all in the party agree with the dissent and are more than

happy to back Renzi's internal party reforms, with may just brushing criticism

away.

     "The problem doesn't exist. We have tried to represent all the party

streams but it's been impossible to make everyone happy," said Senator Maria

Spilabotte, a Renzi ally and on the list to run again in March.

     "Now all Democrats must join forces in the election campaign, because our

party is the only one with the right credentials to govern," she said.

--MNI London Bureau; tel: +44 203-586-2225; email: les.commons@marketnews.com

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