The Lower House in a secret vote
Monday approved the government's Italicum electoral reform with
334 votes in favor, 61 against and four abstaining.
"Mission accomplished. The government has maintained its
commitment. We promised and we delivered," Italian Reform
Minister Maria Elena Boschi told journalists.
Premier Matteo Renzi, who is also head of the centre-left
Democratic Party (PD), has said that the government's hotly
contested new election system will bring political stability and
make it clear who is governing for five years.
The bill won final approval in the Lower House late Monday
after passing three confidence votes last week.
Monday's vote was greeted with a few seconds of applause
from the ranks of the PD.
As deputies flowed out of the chamber after the vote, many
from the ruling left-right majority coalition kissed Boschi,
including Interior Minister Angelino Alfano - leader of the New
Centre-Right (NCD) party - and Defense Minister Roberta Pinotti
from the PD.
"We have approved a good law that gives stability,
representation and also preferences," Alfano said.
"Dissent was quite broad," said Pier Luigi Bersani, Renzi's
predecessor as PD chief and a staunch opponent of some aspects
of the Italicum.
"What's done is done, but the political fact both on the
approval of the law and the size of the dissent is not
insignificant".
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