PD presents new election-law proposal, OK from FI, M5S says no to 'shady deal'

(ANSA) - Rome, September 21 - Emanuele Fiano, a member of the ruling centre-left Democratic Party (PD), on Thursday presented a new proposal for an election law at the Lower House's constitutional affairs committee. The proposal, nicknamed the Rosatellum 2.0, would see 36% of lawmakers elected on a first-past-the-post basis and 64% via proportional representation. Forza Italia (FI) Lower House whip Renato Brunetta has given a provisional OK from Silvio Berlusconi's centre-right opposition group to the proposal. "It is a serious attempt that Forza Italia gives an initial green light to," Brunetta said.
    "We think this law can be taken into serious consideration".
    But Danilo Toninelli of the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S) rejected it.
    "Let's not waste time with an anti-M5S law," he said. There are fears the upcoming Italian general election next year may be inconclusive with the current systems for the Lower House and the Senate, which are different but are both based on proportional representation.
    Fiano was also behind a proposal that sank in parliamentary vote in June, despite supposedly having the backing of the PD, the M5S and FI.