The Constitutional Court on
Thursday ruled that an electoral law referendum proposed by the
nationalist opposition League party was inadmissible.
The reform aimed at abrogating norms on proportional
distribution of seats and turn Italy's election law into a
purely first past the post system.
The top court declared it inadmissible because "excessively
open to manipulation".
The referendum question was proposed by eight regional
governments (Veneto, Piedmont, Lombardy, Friuli Venezia
Giulia, Sardinia, Abruzzo, Basilicata and Liguria), all
controlled by the League-led centre right.
League leader Matteo Salvini voiced dismay and anger at the
court ruling.
"It's a disgrace, it's the old system defending itself," he
said.
Salvini said the ruling anti-establishment 5-Star Movement
(M5S) and their partners in the centre-left Democratic Party
(PD) "remain clinging to their seats".
"We're sorry that they won't let the people decide: this is a
return to the prehistory of the worst Italian politics".
Minister for Relations with Parliament Federico D'Incà, of
the M5S, said it was now time to move forward with "a
proportional electoral law with a high entry bar that ensures a
more cohesive political system, more representative houses and
moer stable governments".
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