Relations with Grillo irreversibly broken- M5S chief Conte

(ANSA) - ROME, OCT 24 - 5-Star Movement (M5S) leader Giuseppe Conte has said relations with the anti-establishment group's founder, comedian Beppe Grillo, have "broken irreversibly" and announced he will not renew the founder's 300,000-euro-a-year consultancy contract as its 'guarantor'.
    Ex-premier Conte and Grillo had been at odds for months over issues including possible changes to the movement's statute that would eliminate the rule stopping M5S's elective representatives from serving more than two terms.
    Grillo has said that the two-term rule must not be changed and neither can the movement's name or symbol.
    The row could lead to a schism.
    "I have been deeply struck by how he has behaved on a human level," Conte said in an interview with veteran TV journalist Bruno Vespa's for his new book, extracts of which have been released ahead of publication at the end of the month.
    "Seeing him today so blatantly opposing a process of democratic participation that takes us back to (late M5S co-founder Gianroberto) Casaleggio's original ideals has saddened me greatly.
    "This is because, contrary to what the newspapers write, the clash is not personal (Grillo against Conte) - it sees Grillo fighting against his own community.
    "Beppe Grillo is to blame for counter-communication that breaches the grounds for contractual collaboration," Conte continued.
    "Grillo also claimed the fee as guarantor in the last letters he wrote to me.
    I have never accepted that he should be paid for this function, which has an intrinsic moral value and is not compatible with any form of remuneration". (ANSA).