Beppe Grillo, the founder of the
anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S), has said that he
thinks the tradition model of parliamentary democracy is
obsolete.
"We must realise that democracy has been surpassed," the
comedian-turned-politician told American show Gzero World.
"What is democracy when less that 50% go out to vote?
"If you get 30% of the 50%, you got 15%.
"Today minorities manage the country. It should probably be
replaced with something else, perhaps a random draw.
"I think we could choose one of the two houses of parliament
like this. Randomly. In a proportional way for age, sex, income,
from the south, from the north, so that these people really
represent the country".
Grillo set up the Internet-based M5S in 2009 and it grew fast
to become the best supported individual party in March's general
election.
The M5S, which is in a coalition government with the
rightwing League, wants to see direct democracy with people
getting involved in making decisions via technology and the
Internet.
In the interview Grillo, who is no longer the political
leader of the M5S, repeated his call for a referendum on whether
Italy should keep the euro as its currency.
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