This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/12/italian-pm-matteo-renzi-electoral-reform-law-italy

The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Italian PM Matteo Renzi's electoral reform law clears first hurdle Italian PM Matteo Renzi's electoral reform law clears first hurdle
(about 1 hour later)
The lower house of the Italian parliament has approved the prime minister's flagship electoral reform law as the country edges towards a new voting system aimed at avoiding the political gridlock that paralysed it last year.The lower house of the Italian parliament has approved the prime minister's flagship electoral reform law as the country edges towards a new voting system aimed at avoiding the political gridlock that paralysed it last year.
Matteo Renzi, 39, who ousted his predecessor and party rival Enrico Letta last month, is pursuing an ambitious series of constitutional changes. If passed, these would also see Italy's upper house of parliament transformed, and an entire layer of local government abolished. Matteo Renzi, 39, who ousted his predecessor and party rival Enrico Letta last month, is pursuing an ambitious series of constitutional changes. If passed, these would also see Italy's upper house of parliament transformed, and an entire layer of local government abolished.
After a stormy passage through the chamber of deputies that exposed the deep divisions within his own centre-left Democratic party (PD), the electoral reform bill was approved by 365 votes to 165 after a deal between Renzi and the centre-right leader, Silvio Berlusconi.After a stormy passage through the chamber of deputies that exposed the deep divisions within his own centre-left Democratic party (PD), the electoral reform bill was approved by 365 votes to 165 after a deal between Renzi and the centre-right leader, Silvio Berlusconi.
In a show of protest, MPs in Beppe Grillo's opposition Five Star movement held up pictures of Renzi and Berlusconi united by a red heart alongside the words "condemned to love". The deal also caused outrage among many in the PD. In a show of protest, MPs in Beppe Grillo's opposition Five Star movement held up pictures of Renzi and Berlusconi united by a red heart alongside the words "condemned to love". The deal also caused outrage among many in the PD.
But Renzi, Italy's youngest prime minister, was unrepentant. He welcomed the bill's approval on Twitter, declaring the move a 1-0 victory for politics over defeatism. "[Lower-chamber MPs] have shown that we really can change Italy," he wrote.But Renzi, Italy's youngest prime minister, was unrepentant. He welcomed the bill's approval on Twitter, declaring the move a 1-0 victory for politics over defeatism. "[Lower-chamber MPs] have shown that we really can change Italy," he wrote.
Renzi is also due to unveil a separate package of economic measures and tax cuts . Renzi is also due to unveil a separate package of economic measures and tax cuts.
The champagne, however, will be kept on ice. Despite having been given the green light in one chamber, the bill now has to go to the senate for another lengthy, and probably even stormier, debate. That in itself is a clear indication, says Renzi, of the need for radical institutional reform.The champagne, however, will be kept on ice. Despite having been given the green light in one chamber, the bill now has to go to the senate for another lengthy, and probably even stormier, debate. That in itself is a clear indication, says Renzi, of the need for radical institutional reform.
Renzi says the new electoral law would prevent the re-election of a grand coalition by providing for a runoff in the event of no party or formation winning more than 37% of the vote. He said the new electoral law would prevent the re-election of a grand coalition by providing for a runoff in the event of no party or formation winning more than 37% of the vote. It would also reduce the power of smaller parties, raising the thresholds below which a party will be unable to enter parliament.
It would also reduce the power of smaller parties, raising the thresholds below which a party will be unable to enter parliament.
Implementing a new voting system that prevents the reoccurrence of last year's damaging post-electoral deadlock has been a priority for Renzi since before he wrested power from Letta.Implementing a new voting system that prevents the reoccurrence of last year's damaging post-electoral deadlock has been a priority for Renzi since before he wrested power from Letta.
Thanks to an election that left the centre-left bloc with a majority in one house but not in the other, Italy was left without a government for over two months. Thanks to an election that left the centre-left bloc with a majority in one house but not in the other, Italy was left without a government for over two months. And when that government came, it was not destined to govern easily: the unwieldy big tent of centre-left, centre and centre-right was for months hamstrung by the legal affairs of Berlusconi, convicted last August of tax fraud.
And when that government came, it was not destined to govern easily: the unwieldy big tent of centre-left, centrists and centre-right was for months hamstrung by the legal affairs of Berlusconi, convicted last August of tax fraud. As it stands, however, the law applies only to the lower house. That is a considerable obstacle, given that it was the upper house that posed the real challenge in terms of governability. It is, wrote the constitutional lawyer Michele Ainis in the Corriere della Sera on Wednesday, a "half-reform".
As it stands, however, the law applies only to the lower house. That's a considerable obstacle, given that it was the upper house that posed the real challenge in terms of governability. It is, writes the constitutional lawyer Michele Ainis in the Corriere della Sera on Wednesday, a "half-reform". "A half-reform is not yet a reform," he warned, "especially not if this other half depends on the senate, the lions' den."
"A half-reform is not yet a reform," he warns, "especially not if this other half depends on the senate, the lions' den." Renzi's answer to this conundrum is that there should be no senate, at least not in the form in which it now exists. He wants to ditch Italy's inefficient system of "perfect bicameralism", in which both houses of parliament have equal powers over the legislative process. Instead, the senate would be a chamber made up of local representatives with no power to pass or block legislation.
Renzi's answer to this conundrum is that there should be no senate, at least not in the form in which it now exists. Although a concrete proposal is yet to come, it is expected to propose cutting the number of senators from more than 300 to around 160 which brings the potential for protracted, incendiary debate.
He wants to ditch Italy's inefficient system of 'perfect bicameralism', in which both houses of parliament have equal powers over the legislative process. Instead, the senate would be a chamber made up of local representatives with no power to pass or block legislation.
Although a concrete proposal is yet to come, it is expected to outline cutting the number of senators from more than 300 to around 160 – which brings the potential for protracted, incendiary debate.
Asked in an interview on the state broadcaster Rai on Sunday how he could be so sure current senators would effectively vote for their own dismissal, Renzi replied: "Because they are showing themselves to be people who are in line with the country; because they are showing themselves to be people who care more about Italy than they do about themselves.Asked in an interview on the state broadcaster Rai on Sunday how he could be so sure current senators would effectively vote for their own dismissal, Renzi replied: "Because they are showing themselves to be people who are in line with the country; because they are showing themselves to be people who care more about Italy than they do about themselves.
"In politics there are also serious people, you know. We know that 1,000 politicians [the total number of MPs across both houses] is too much.""In politics there are also serious people, you know. We know that 1,000 politicians [the total number of MPs across both houses] is too much."