Alfredo D'Attorre, a rebel member of Premier Matteo Renzi's centre-left Democratic Party (PD), said Tuesday that it would be better to vote with a pure proportional system rather than use the government's bill for a new system. "If I have to allow a bad election reform or a bad Constitutional reform, I prefer to vote with the proportional system," D'Attorre told La7 television. When the Constitutional Court struck down the previous dysfunctional system, the so-called pigsty law that was blamed for contributing to the inconclusive outcome to the 2013 general election, it ruled that a pure proportional system should take its place until parliament introduced a replacement. D'Attorre added that suggestions early elections would be needed if the government's bill, the so-called Italicum, were scuppered were threats "made with a water pistol" as "Renzi would not get back in government" if this happened.
On Monday the PD voted to approve the 'Italicum' electoral reform bill as it stands after a Lower House reading.
But a dissenting minority did not take part in the meeting and vowed to continue to fight the bill in the Senate. The Italicum now returns to the Senate for its third reading.
The Italicum is the result of a deal between Renzi and former center-right premier Silvio Berlusconi, a fact which has produced discomfort within the ranks of both leaders' parties since it was first announced early in 2014. The bill would, among other provisions, award bonus seats to the party that garners at least 40% of the vote to ensure it has a working majority in parliament.
A run-off round of voting will take place to decide who gets the bonus seats if no party crosses the 40% threshold.
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