ROME, Oct 18 (AFP) - Italy's Northern League, a member of the four-party right-wing coalition government, has launched a campaign to demand a referendum on Turkey's bid to join the European Union.
"It's an incredibly historic subject that could influence the future development of Europe for centuries," said Justice Minister Roberto Castelli.
A definitive decision on Turkey's bid to join the EU "cannot depend solely on a decision by the government" but should be based on a referendum in which the Italian people can decide for themselves, Castelli said.
The League's stance has raised the shackles of other parties in the coalition. Italy's other right-wing parties believe bringing mainly Muslim Turkey into the EU fold would be the best defence against Islamic extremism.
Deputy Foreign Trade Minister Adolfo Urso said a referendum would be "useless and harmful".
The European Commission -- the EU's executive arm -- officially recommended earlier this month that EU leaders begin membership negotiations with Turkey. But it set a series of tough conditions for Ankara to meet and warned there was no guarantee of a successful outcome.
EU leaders must now decide at a December 17 summit whether to accept the commission's recommendations and if so when to begin negotiations that are expected to last at least a decade.
The League's position could embarras Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who has said he wants the EU to start membership talks with Ankara in 2005.