The Lower house on Tuesday voted to cut Italy’s parliamentarians from 945 to 600, by 553 votes to 14 with two abstentions.
After its definitive approval, the bill has now become law.
The constitutional reform cuts MPs from 630 to 400 and Senators from 315 to 200.
Since it was a constitutional bill, the majority of the Lower House, or 316 votes, was required.
The vote on the MP cut went smoothly with the opposition parties voting with the M5S, PD and IV for a long-awaited reform that will streamline governance and make significant savings in parliamentary expenditure.
The reduction would make the Italian parliament among the smaller ones in the European Union.
Voting in favour Tuesday were the M5S, the PD and the populist nationalist opposition parties the League and Brothers of Italy (FdI), as well as Silvio Berlusconi’s centre-right Forza Italia (FI) party.
Premier Giuseppe Conte said, “this is a historic day for Italy”.
He said the reform “impacts the cost of politics and makes the workings of the chambers more efficient.
He said, “this is a concrete step towards reforming our institutions.” Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio, leader of the ruling anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S), which had made the MP cut one of its flagship reform pledges, said “this is a very great victory for citizens”.
“This is a historic reform, an extremely great victory for Italian citizens.” Addressing supporters outside the House, he said “this is your victory”.
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Via ANSA
