Renzi does not believe Italy PM has backing to win confidence vote - paper

Former Italian premier Matteo Renzi does not believe Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has the backing to win a confidence vote scheduled for next week, he told daily La Stampa in an interview published on Friday. Renzi plunged the country into political chaos on Wednesday when he withdrew his two ministers from the cabinet, presenting a long list of grievances over how Conte had handled the health emergency caused by the coronavirus pandemic and the economy.

"I don't believe he (Conte) has the numbers (to win the vote)," Renzi told the paper. "I will abstain."