On Sunday and Monday Italians will vote in a referendum on whether to approve a constitutional law that amends the Italian Constitution to reduce the number of MPs in parliament, from 630 to 400 in the Chamber of Deputies and from 315 to 200 in the Senate.
Elections are also taking place in seven regions – Veneto, Campania, Tuscany, Liguria, Marche, Puglia and Valle d’Aosta. The referendum was initially scheduled to be held on 29 March but had to be postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A staff in protective face mask works in the preparations and setting up of a polling station for the vote of the constitutional referendum on cutting the number of parliamentarians, during the third phase of the Coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic emergency in Rome, Italy, 19 September 2020. EPA-EFE/ANGELO CARCONI
Most of Italy’s political parties have come out in favour of a yes vote. But the 5-Star Movement, the biggest party supporting Premier Giuseppe Conte’s government, has pushed hardest for this reform.
So it has the most to lose if it is rejected by voters.
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte wears a face mask as he votes in the Italian Constitutional referendum in Rome, Italy, 20 September 2020. Over 46 million Italians are called to vote for the constitutional referendum on the cut of parliamentarians, for the Senate Supplements, the Administrative Councils and the renewal of seven regional councils. EPA-EFE/ANGELO CARCONI
“I’ll vote in Rome and I’ve already said I’ll vote yes in the referendum,” said Conte.”I don’t see the cut to the number of parliamentarians as a reduction in representation.”It can be the first step towards valorizing the work of parliament, including in terms of authoritativeness.”.
Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio, an M5S bigwig, stressed that Conte and most of the party leaders have said they will vote in favour. “The yes vote is uniting Italian voters,” he said.
The regional elections, meanwhile, could end up putting Conte’s national government under pressure if the centre-right opposition led by Matteo Salvini’s League party is triumphant.
Municipal elections will take place in 1,149 comuni across Italy too. Some 18 provincial capitals will go to the polls: Agrigento, Andria, Aosta, Arezzo, Bolzano, Chieti, Crotone, Enna, Fermo, Lecco, Macerata, Mantua, Matera, Nuoro, Reggio Calabria, Trani, Trento and Venice. Three of these are also regional capitals: Aosta, Trento and Venice.
Early voting went smoothly despite concerns over possible delays due to coronavirus social distancing rules.
“The polling station president and the staff were very clear about the rules. It took 15 seconds longer to vote perhaps, but everything was fine,” said 69-year-old university professor Carlo Di Giovine after voting in the referendum in Rome.
The centre-left is expected to lose control of Marche in the centre and Puglia in the south, while holding on to the southern region of Campania. Tuscany looks like a neck-and-neck race.
The right should easily keep power in the two northern regions where it currently governs — Liguria and Veneto. The seventh region at stake is the tiny, French-speaking Valle D’Aosta which has its own party system.
