The Senate on Tuesday approved
Article 10 of the government's 41-article Constitutional reform
bill, also known as the Boschi bill after Reform Minister Maria
Elena Boschi.
The article modifies Article 70 of the Constitution, which
says "the legislative function is exercised jointly by both
Houses" of parliament.
The motion passed with 165 in favor, 107 against and five
abstaining.
The article is a keystone of Premier Matteo Renzi's
flagship reform, which aims to overhaul Italy's slow, costly
political machinery by streamlining the Upper House into a
leaner assembly - made up of 100 members instead of the current
315 - with limited lawmaking powers.
This will make passing laws easier and save money, the
center-left premier says.
Senate Speaker Pietro Grasso closed the session early and
thanked Senators for their "cooperation" in voting on hundreds
of amendments.
"It's been an intense, tense and tiring session," Grasso
said.
Silvio Berlusconi's center-right Forza Italia (FI) party
earlier condemned Article 10 as undemocratic.
"We're slamming the country against a wall of
non-democracy," FI Senator Antonio D'Ali said in announcing his
caucus' intention of voting against the motion.
"We are not driven by obstructionist intent and this
afternoon we cleared the field of over 240,000 amendments to
prove the opposition has positive intentions," he added.
The opposition, rightwing and anti-immigrant Northern
League party has in the past tried to saddle the Boschi bill
with millions of amendments in a bid to obstruct its passage.
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