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".
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