Renzi accelerates on new election law

(ANSA) - Rome, May 18 - Democratic Party (PD) leader Matteo Renzi is accelerating on a drive to get a new election law approved.
    The centre-left PD is pushing a new proposal, dubbed the 'Rosatellum' after PD Lower House whip Ettore Rosato, that envisages the election of half of MPs on a first-past-the-post basis and the other half by pure proportional representation from blocked party lists. The bill sets a 5% threshold for seats in parliament.
    Italy needs a new election law as its systems for the Senate and the Lower House are different following the rejection of ex-premier Renzi's Constitutional reform in a referendum in December.
    Furthermore, the Italicum law, which is valid for the House, was declared partly unconstitutional earlier this year.
    The new bill is scheduled to hit the House May 29.
    "Tell us yes or no, make amendments, counter-proposals, but don't put off the May 29 date," he urged, saying a new law could be approved in the House "in early June". Renzi added: "six months has now passed since the (December 4) referendum (on Constitutional reform, which he lost).
    "Please, don't try to fool the citizens. The PD offers seriousness but demands respect for Italians".