A newspaper published by the
center-right Forza Italia (FI) party wrote Tuesday that Premier
Matteo Renzi has extended "an empty hand" to party chief Silvio
Berlusconi.
"Renzi's extended hand to Berlusconi? It's empty," Il
Mattinale wrote.
"Let him come back with direct election of Senators and an
Italicum electoral reform that awards a winner's bonus to
coalitions (not parties), and we can talk".
The Italicum electoral reform, which was passed into law in
May this year, awards a winner's bonus to any single party
gaining at least 40% - or a run-off vote in case no one party
reaches that threshold - to ensure it has a working majority in
parliament.
Renzi originally negotiated the Italicum with Berlusconi as
part of a broader move that includes reforms to the Senate to
reduce its powers, a fact which has produced discomfort among
lawmakers in both parties.
However, Berlusconi pulled out of the deal earlier this
year after Renzi nominated Sergio Mattarella as Italian
president over the FI chief's objections.
The new election system could play in favor of Renzi's
center-left Democratic Party (PD), which is the country's number
one party, and against FI, which would probably only be able to
win as part of a coalition.
The premier is now seeking Berlusconi's backing on his
Constitutional reform bill, which would reduce the Senate to a
leaner assembly of regionally elected representatives with
limited lawmaking powers.
Opposition parties and a dissenting leftwing minority
within Renzi's PD want Senators elected by voters instead.
"Renzi and Berlusconi are preparing the umpteenth shady
deal in order to save themselves from unavoidable elections,"
Deputy House Speaker Luigi Di Maio from the anti-establishment,
anti-euro 5-Star Movement (M5S) wrote on Facebook.
"Renzi no longer has a majority in the Senate".
The M5S is Italy's second-largest party, but has always
refused to negotiate with the government.
Key players in the premier's party were unruffled.
"I am always optimistic," Cabinet Secretary Luca Lotti said
at celebrations on the 71st anniversary of the liberation of
Florence from the Nazis on August 11, 1944.
"I was optimistic on the Italicum, and I am even more so
now on the Constitutional reform bill".
Also on Tuesday, PD dissident Roberto Speranza chimed in
with words of apparent support.
"I hope the phase of personal attacks is over," he said.
"They are out of place in a political debate on the
contents of a reform that has to do with democracy and not who
is for or against the government, which we all uphold".
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