A joint parliamentary session
failed to elect three judges to the Constitutional Court on
Wednesday after none of the candidates reached the necessary
quorum of 571 votes.
Augusto Barbera took 536 votes, followed by Giovanni
Pitruzzella with 492 and Francesco Paolo Sisto with 511.
The three candidates were reportedly agreed in a deal
between the Democratic Party (PD) of Premier Matteo Renzi and
ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia (FI).
Franco Modugno, supported by the Five-Star Movement (M5S)
took 140 votes, Gaetano Piepoli (an MP with the small Civic
Choice party) took 56 and Felice Besostri 10.
"The carving up of seats in perfect Party of the Nation
style has failed: if they want to change method and use ours we
are ready and I think that now we are more necessary than ever,"
said MP Danilo Toninelli of the M5S, which refused to enter into
an agreement with the PD over candidates.
Meanwhile PD party whip in the Lower House Ettore Rosato
said its candidate Barbera would "remain".
FI House and Senate whips Renato Brunetta and Paolo Romani
also confirmed their candidate Francesco Paolo Sisto.
A new date has not yet been set for a fresh vote.
The constitutional court is composed of 15 judges of who
five are appointed by the president of the republic, five by the
supreme council of the magistrature and 5 by parliament in a
joint session.
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