Zingaretti appeals for unity, says no to PD being in caretaker govt

(ANSA) - Rome, August 12 - Democratic Party (PD) leader Nicola Zingaretti on Monday ruled out the hypothesis of the centre-left group teaming up with the 5-Star Movement (M5S) to form a caretaker executive after League leader Matteo Salvini pulled the plug on Premier Giuseppe Conte's government last week. Ex-premier and former party leader Matteo Renzi proposed forming an administration with the M5S to pass the budget law and a reform cutting the number of lawmakers and take care of ordinary business until elections are held next year.
    The proposal has caused a big row within the frequently fractious party and revived talk of possible split that would reportedly see Renzi loyalists forming a separate group. "The hypothesis of (being in) a government for the budget and administer (the country) until the elections is not a credible one," Zingaretti said at the PD's headquarters in Rome. "It would be a gift to the dangerous right that everyone wants to stop.
    "I want to make an appeal for the unity of the PD.
    "When faced with the dangers that exist for democracy at the moment, it would be wrong to split, because that would mean handing Italy over to the right.
    "We must fight hard and united".