The government on Tuesday announced a confidence vote on its hotly contested 'Italicum' electoral reform bill, now before the Lower House in what could be its last reading.
This came after the House in a secret vote rejected a raft of Constitutional objections against the government's 'Italicum' electoral reform bill. They were rejected with 384 votes against and 209 in favor.
If the House had supported the motion, the Italicum would have been scrapped on Constitutional grounds.
In another secret vote, the House rejected a series of objections to the content of the Italicum. Lawmakers nixed the motion with 385 votes against, while 208 voted in favor. If the motion had passed, the bill would have been scrapped because lawmakers decided its contents did not pass muster.
The objections were filed by the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S), the leftwing Left Ecology Freedom (SEL) party, Berlusconi's center-right Forza Italia (FI) and the rightwing, anti-immigrant Northern League.
As well, lawmakers rejected a motion to suspend voting on the Italicum filed by Silvio Berlusconi's center-right Forza Italia (FI) party. FI wanted the bill considered after ratification of a separate, Constitutional reform bill. MPs rejected the motion with 369 against and 206 in favor.
Premier Matteo Renzi has warned that his coalition's executive will collapse if the bill fails to ultimately win approval in what he hopes will be its final reading in parliament.
Throughout the morning, feverish meetings were held between the majority and the minority of Renzi's centre-left Democratic Party (PD) that is opposed to the election reforms.
Renzi's government is facing stiff opposition to its bill for a new election system, which would award bonus seats to the party winning 40% of the vote - or a run-off vote in case no one party reaches that threshold - to ensure it has a working majority in parliament.
The PD minority argues the Italicum as it stands will tip the balance of power away from parliament and in favor of the executive.
At the same time, the opposition is trying to delay its ratification as long as possible possibly because, unlike Renzi's PD, no other party is likely to win 40% of the vote on its own.
Some 100 amendments have been filed to the bill, according to rapporteur and Constitutional affairs committee chairman Francesco Paolo Sisto.
Renzi is hoping for a quick approval and has warned that he could call a confidence vote if necessary.
"For me, this is not a morning like any other," commented House Speak Laura Boldrini at an event earlier on Tuesday.
Opposition politicians were quick to register their criticisms.
"Forza Italia is against this election reform, Forza Italia is against Renzi, Forza Italia is united," said Renato Brunetta, leader of the Forza Italia (FI) in the Lower House.
FI backed the Italicum, the result of a agreement Silvio Berlusconi struck with Renzi last year, in its previous readings in parliament.
But the opposition, centre-right party has since declared the so-called Nazarenzo pact dead and changed its position on the bill. Brunetta said the bill would give Renzi too much authority.
Matteo Salvini, leader of the Northern League, said the proposed reforms were "disgusting" and "crazy", and presented at a time when unemployment and the economy were higher priorities for many Italians.
Sergio Cofferati, a former labour leader and member of the European Parliament who quit the PD in January, said in a radio interview that Renzi's election bill was a "bad law" and that the Democratic Party was at risk of driving away members.
Meanwhile, Alfredo D'Attorre said it was "absurd...to proceed with voting" in parliament without a PD House leader.
Roberto Speranza, who had held that post, recently quit and this leaves the PD without guidance in the Lower House, said D'Attorre.
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