(ANSA) - Rome, February 23 - Angelino Alfano, head of the
New Democratic Centre (NCD) party, defended Monday his decision
to remain in Premier Matteo Renzi's coalition government, saying
"we are changing the country".
In a keynote speech to the leadership of his centre-right
party, Alfano, the interior minister, said his role in the
government gives the NCD actual authority.
"What is the use of having 12% in the opinion polls if then
you can't use it to govern and change the country, if your keep
it in the freezer like the Northern League?," said Alfano,
referring to the regionalist party that has been gaining in
polls.
"We are the only ones who are working to rebuild a big
moderate and popular force, the only possible alternative to a
serious confrontation with the Democratic Party (PD)," Alfano
said.
NCD national coordinator Gaetano Quagliarello underlined
that in forthcoming regional elections "one certainly can't
imagine lists of candidates in which the liberals and popular
candidates stand with the social democrats, or worse still with
those who want to take us out of Europe".
NCD leader Alfano defends government alliance with Renzi
Interior minister tells party 'we are changing the country'