Senate Speaker Pietro Grasso on
Friday defended his move to authorize secret votes on a big
chunk of the thousands of amendments to a Constitutional reform
bill now before the Upper House.
Grasso, who is from the ruling Democratic Party (PD) but
has voiced opposition to aspects of the bill, last Wednesday
fielded what he called an "unprecedented" 920 opposition
requests for voting to be secret, with 500 of those referred to
the first two articles of Premier Matteo Renzi's proposed Senate
revamp.
He ended up authorizing secret votes, but only "on
amendments referring to articles 1-18 of the bill, which deal
with the functions of the houses of parliament".
The PD proceeded to heap blame on the Speaker for providing
ammunition to opponents of the bill, who include the opposition
parties but also elements within its own ranks.
"Parliament rules left me no choice," Grasso justified
himself Friday.
"There is no margin for interpretation".
Grasso professed himself an "impartial judge... well aware
of my role as guarantor of both the majority and the
opposition".
The speaker made his remarks during the traditional "fan
ceremony", when journalists from the Parliamentary Press
Association (ASP) give the country's president and the speakers
of both houses a decorated fan to mark the end of the work year
and the beginning of summer recess.
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