Italy's s supreme Cassation Court has
given the all-clear to a referendum for the complete abrogation
of the government's legislation bringing in 'differentiated
autonomy' to enable regions to request more power over how the
tax revenues collected in their areas are spent.
The central office of the supreme court said it was legitimate
to request the law's total cancellation.
The sentence was issued after the Constitutional Court said last
month that it considered some parts of the law "illegitimate".
The Cassation's decision, illustrated in a 30-page sentence,
specifically regarded two possible questions of the referendum,
one to completely abolish the measure, which was accepted, and
another proposed by some regional governments on its partial
abrogation, with the latter being rejected.
The final word now goes back to the Constitutional Court.
"We are satisfied, we want to completely abolish this unfair law
and an important confirmation that this referendum can be done
has come from the Cassation", the deputy president of the
national committee against differentiated autonomy, labour union
UIL confederal leader Ivana Veronese, told ANSA.
The committee includes members of the opposition, labour unions
and civil society organizations.
"Now we are waiting for the Constitutional Court to rule in
January over the total admissibility" of the referendum, she
said.
Differentiated autonomy is a flagship policy of the League party
led by Deputy Premier and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini.
After the Cassation's decision was announced, a leading member
of the League, Veneto Governor Luca Zaia, said supporters of the
government's law should snub the possible referendum on
abolishing the measure.
"If there's a referendum, I think it is fundamental that those
who believe in autonomy should not go to the polls," he said.
"It seems logical to me, given that this is a referendum with a
quorum.
"So this is the point that will decide the game.
"But before playing this game, it is right to wait with
deference and respect for the decision of the Constitutional
Court, which will come around January 20" to have the final say
on the referendum.
Regional Affairs and Autonomy Minister Roberto Calderoli, the
League party member who drafted the reform, said "differentiated
autonomy must be implemented to show that multiple realities
cannot exist with first-rate and second-rate citizens".
"The principle, according to us, is that differentiated autonomy
doesn't divide but unites", he noted.
Asked whether he would urge people to vote or avoid the polls if
the referendum is confirmed, the minister replied: "there's a
referendum?".
Meanwhile Elly Schlein, the leader of the Democratic Party
(PD), one of the opposition members that helped collect
signatures for the referendum, said the government should scrap
the measure.
Schlein, who heads the largest opposition party, told private
television LA7 that, "after the decision of the Constitutional
Court that dismantled autonomy, the cabinet should stop, it
should halt negotiations and abolish this text, to recover
credibility after the blunder of presenting a reform taken apart
by the Court", commenting on the Cassation's green light.
Sardinia Governor Alessandra Todde, a member of the Five-Star
Movement (M5S) in the opposition, said "we are pleased with the
Cassation's decision which confirms that this referendum can be
done".
"Now we are waiting for the Constitutional Court's decision on
merit.
"The government must stop.
"Sardinia has been on the frontline to defend its special nature
and to oppose an unfair law that divides Italy and increases
inequalities", the governor noted.
The leftwing opposition collected the signatures to put the law
to a referendum saying it unduly changes the Constitution,
threatens national unity and aggravates existing imbalances,
especially between affluent northern regions and worse-off
southern ones, in key areas like healthcare.
When it was approved after an all-night session in the House in
June, government parties waved the flags of Italy's 20 regions
while the centre-left opposition waved the Italian flag.
On November 14, the Constitutional Court said it considered
assertions that the whole of the government's law bringing in
'differentiated autonomy' was unconstitutional were "not
founded".
The court added, however, that it did consider specific parts of
the law "illegitimate".
The court examined the law after the regional governments of
Campania, Puglia, Sardinia and Tuscany raised objections to it.
One of the issues raised by the Constitutional Court regarded
the legitimacy of the minimum levels of service (LEPs) that must
be provided by all regions nationwide being updated via a decree
issued by the premier.
Another issue regarded "optionality for the regions receiving
devolution, to contribute to public finance objectives, rather
than the obligation to do so, with consequent weakening of the
bonds of solidarity and the unity of the Republic".
The court said it was up to parliament to resolve the issues it
has identified.
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