Yes won al constitutional referendum on cutting the number of parliamentarians: what ballot it’s almost over and the Yes is over 69 percent and the No under 31 percent. It is the most important change to the institutional structure in the history of the Italian Republic: from the next legislature, the deputies will go from 630 to 400 and the senators from 315 to 200.
– Read also: The Post’s liveblog on the results of the referendum and elections
Luigi Di Maio of the 5 Star Movement, one of the main supporters of the reduction in the number of parliamentarians, has already commented on the victory calling it a “historic result”. The secretary of the Democratic Party Nicola Zingaretti, who in turn comes out of the referendum as the winner, albeit to a lesser extent, has promised that now “a season of reforms” will begin.
The definitive turnout is just under 54 percent. The comparisons with previous referendums are very complex: in 2016 – when 65 percent of those entitled to vote went to vote – the polling stations remained open for just one day, and in 2006 and 2001 no major regional elections were associated. The counting of votes began at 3 pm, after the closing of the polls, and proceeded with unexpected slowness for a referendum. After that, the one for the regional teams began, where they voted.
– Read also: The referendum on cutting the number of parliamentarians, explained
The constitutional referendum, the fourth in republican history, asked voters if they agreed to reduce a third of the parliamentary members of the House and Senate, an amendment approved in Parliament in October 2019 by virtually all parties, but subjected to a referendum due to the special rules governing the amendment of the Constitution.
The reform provides that the seats in the Chamber will rise from 630 to 400 and those in the Senate from 315 to 200: a reduction of about one third. Today There are one deputy for every 96,000 inhabitants and a senator for every 188,000 inhabitants. With the cut, there will be one deputy for every 151,000 inhabitants and a senator for every 302,000: the number of representatives per inhabitant will therefore significantly decrease, but Italy will remain however in the average of other Western European countries. This is because Italy is currently the country with the most elected representatives in absolute numbers (945 between deputies and senators) in all of Western Europe.
With the approval of the reform, parliamentarians elected by Italians abroad will also be reduced: they will go from 12 to 8 and senators from 6 to 4. A maximum ceiling will also be established on the number of life senators appointed by the presidents of the Republic: never again of 5.
Virtually all the parties represented in Parliament had expressed themselves in favor of the reduction, therefore to Yes: especially the 5 Star Movement, the party that controls the largest number of seats in Parliament and supports the current Conte government, which for years had made a historic battle. The victory of the Yes is considered a political victory both for the M5S and by reflex for its allies in the Democratic Party (although internally a minority of leaders have spoken out for the No). According to many analyzes, the risk of not being re-nominated and elected for the current parliamentarians in the event of new elections should stabilize the political situation, making the early end of the legislature more unlikely than before.
–
