First green light for the premiership, the constitutional reform strongly supported by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, as well as the flagship of the Brothers of Italy during the 2022 electoral campaign.
The Senate has given the green light to the measure that will allow the direct election of the Prime Minister with 109 votes in favour, 77 against and one abstention.
Ma what changes with the so-called “premiere”? What will be the powers of the Prime Minister and what are those of the Head of State? Here's everything you need to know.
The direct election of the Prime Minister and the limit of two terms
The current Constitution provides that citizens elect the members of Parliament, i.e. senators and deputies, who then in turn express their preference for a government and a Prime Minister. If the reform is definitively approved, everything will change. The Prime Minister will no longer receive the position from the President of the Republic on the basis of the result of the elections and the possible majorities, but he will come elected directly by the citizens. The members of Parliament will also be elected together with the Prime Minister.
The prime minister's mandate will last for five years and for no more than two consecutive legislatures which could become three if, overall, the period in which he held the office of prime minister does not exceed seven years and six months.
What happens in the event of a government crisis?
In case of Government crisis, the reform provides three different solutions. In case of revocation of trust to the Prime Minister, the President of the Republic dissolves the chambers and we return to the vote.
If instead the prime minister resigns, "the latter can propose, within seven days, the dissolution of the Chambers to the President of the Republic, who orders it". The prime minister therefore has the right to request and obtain early dissolution if there is a political crisis.
Finally, "If he does not exercise this faculty and in cases of death, permanent impediment, forfeiture, the President of the Republic may grant, only once during the legislature, the task of forming the government to the resigning Prime Minister or to another parliamentarian elected in liaison with the Prime Minister". The Prime Minister can therefore be replaced only once in the legislature, and only if he himself decides to leave, with a parliamentarian from his own coalition. A modification that aims to avoid the use of technical governments or broad agreements.
The powers of the President of the Republic
The reform also modifies the powers of the President of the Republic who, after the election, will have the task, which at this point will only become formal, of conferring the role on the Prime Minister elected by the citizens and will be able dismiss a minister at the request of the Government. The head of state will also have the task of appointing the 5 constitutional judges and presiding over the CSM.
The rules will also change the election of the President of the Republic. It will be necessary to reach a quorum of two thirds of the electors in the first six ballots. Today there are three.
Another important news is the cancellation of the blank semester. The President of the Republic will have the power to dissolve the chambers at any time, even in the six months preceding the election of the head of state. A circumstance not currently foreseen by the Constitution.
Goodbye to senators for life
The reform also modifies article 59 of the Constitution, which provides for senators for life appointed by the President of the Republic. According to what is expected, the current ones will remain in office, but subsequently the office of senator for life will be given only to emeritus presidents of the Republic.
We need an electoral law
The many changes envisaged by the reform, first and foremost the direct election of the Prime Minister, will require an electoral law consistent with the new rules. It is no coincidence that the entry into force of the reform is established upon approval of the implementing electoral law.
Finally, the Casellati bill provides that an ordinary law regulates the system for the election of the Chambers and the Prime Minister, "assigning a prize on a national basis that guarantees a majority of seats in each of the Chambers to the lists and candidates linked to the President of the Council, in compliance with the principle of representativeness".
