The Chamber of Deputies rejected, by secret ballot, with 188 votes against and 187 in favor, the majority amendment for preferences in the proposed electoral reform bill . This happened after the Government and the Commission had expressed a favorable opinion on the proposed amendment.
The rejected amendment proposal was presented yesterday by Fratelli d'Italia, NM, and UDC, and today, Lega and Forza Italia announced their support for the amendment. Futuro Nazionale also announced its support.
The amendment aimed to introduce the possibility of preference (in alternating gender), in a ballot paper with 7 names and a "blocked" head of the list.
Around thirty snipers "betrayed" the majority. The opposition, after the vote in Montecitorio, attacked: "Giorgia Meloni has received a vote of no confidence, let's go back to the polls." But the prime minister commented on social media: "We tried. The quagmire has won again." She added: "We need to reflect." Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani , leader of Forza Italia, agreed: "It was a hiccup , it shouldn't have happened, we need to reflect. It wasn't a fundamental issue, it wasn't the vote of confidence in the government. We're moving forward."
But, as mentioned, the center-left is pressing on. "It's time to go home and give the country a government capable of solving Italy's problems. Acknowledge the failure and go home," said Democratic Party secretary Elly Schlein.
"There are times when you hold a high government position and you also have to take responsibility for your decisions," M5S leader Giuseppe Conte said in the chamber, officially calling for the opening of a "government crisis."
"This electoral law seems finished to me, but it's quite clear that this vote says much more than the electoral law. Meloni should draw her own conclusions ," commented AVS leader Nicola Fratoianni .
And Matteo Renzi , leader of Italia Viva: "We have always been in favor of preferences. And we consider it shameful that right-wing parliamentarians rejected an amendment that would have improved the terrible electoral law in a secret ballot. At this point, however, the fact is simple: the majority no longer exists. Meloni should go to the Quirinale immediately and resign. She doesn't have the people's trust, and today she also lost that of the government."
After the recess and the group leaders' meeting, voting on the amendments resumed after 9:15 PM. "The text is the one that came out of the committee; there are no structural impediments to moving forward, and President Fontana also reiterated that, from a structural standpoint, there are no impediments to moving forward. The opposition has asked to suspend the examination, but we believe we should continue," explained the president of the Forza Italia deputies in the Chamber.
But the session continued briefly because chaos broke out, and several opposition MPs asked the presiding judge, Mulè, to suspend the proceedings due to the irregular conduct of the Vannaccians, who filmed themselves in the Chamber during the secret ballot. Mulè, after repeatedly calling for order, suspended the session.
(Unioneonline/lf)
