ROME, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- Italy doesn't need another technocrat government as British magazine The Economist has suggested, Italian Premier Matteo Renzi said Friday.
The London-based magazine in this week's issue endorsed a No vote in a Dec. 4 referendum on the Italian government's constitutional reform, which has already been approved by parliament and must now be ratified by the people before it can become binding.
Renzi argued that Italy's last technocrat government -- led by former prime minister Mario Monti in 2011-2012 -- raised taxes and that the country needs "a strong European strategy in place."
The premier added that a caretaker government would be more likely to submit to EU demands, acting "not in the interests of Italy, but of others."
Moreover, the No campaign features five former prime ministers who promised reforms for years but failed to deliver them, Renzi said.
"If the Italian people wish to entrust themselves to them, let them do so," Renzi said.
The Economist in its article said: "Mr Renzi's constitutional amendment fails to deal with the main problem, which is Italy's unwillingness to reform."
It also suggested reform is flawed because it would turn the Senate into a slimmer body with reduced lawmaking powers made up of regionally elected officials and mayors, which according to The Economist are "the most corrupt layers of government" who would enjoy "immunity from prosecution."
The Italian PM was backed up by his finance minister, who said markets are watching Italy and "want to continue to have faith in it."
"A political government is needed, one that will continue enacting reforms," Economy and Finance Minister Pier Carlo Padoan said on Friday.
"Markets are waiting with some apprehension to see if the reformist policies that have made them optimistic in the past two years will continue," Padoan said.
The center-left government led by Renzi has undertaken a number of reforms, including in the banking and labor sectors, since Renzi took office in February 2014.
