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.
The ruling was handed down by a "solid and ample" majority
decision, sources said.
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".
Salvini went on: "it's a theft of democracy and it's sad that
the PD and the 5 Stars are celebrating.
"It's old politics: the Italians cannot decide how to elect
parliament, but it is decided by the parties in their back
rooms".
He added: ""we won't surrender, on the contrary we'll
relaunch and we'll ask Italians for the signatures to directly
elect the Head of State".
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
more stable governments".
M5S leader and Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said "we'll
follow the path of proportional representation so that all
citizens are effectively represented in parliament".
He said "they wanted to introduce into Italy a totally first
past the post system, ensuring less representation for citizens.
"We're not surprised, in fact what matters to them at this
time is to find a way to grab all the seats they can".
The chair of the House constitutional affairs committee,
Giuseppe Brescia, also of the M5S, said "we'll go forward with
yet more courage on the path of reform: a new electoral law
detached from party interests, the reform of the active and
passive electorate of the Senate that I hope is voted soon, and
the referendum on cutting MPs."
He said "those who wanted the swamp have lost and now they
are howling at the moon".
PD leader Nicola Zingaretti said "another one of Salvini's
bluffs has fallen. Now full steam ahead to really change Italy".
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