The government stops at 308 votes, far from the threshold of 316 needed to have an absolute majority. This is the response of Montecitorio, where today the State report, already rejected by the House. The measure was however approved thanks to the abstention of the oppositions (there were 321 non-voters), who this time were in any case present in the Chamber. "Guys, let's get together and decide immediately what to do", these - according to the first Ansa indiscretions - the words pronounced by the Prime Minister immediately after checking the printouts of the vote.
"This vote has certified that the Government no longer has a majority in this chamber – so commented the leader of the Democratic Party, Pier Luigi Bersani – The Premier resigns and we will do our part for the country. And it is clear that if you did not do it, and I dare not believe that you do not, the oppositions would consider further initiatives, because we cannot go on like this ”.
Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi had previously specified that after this vote - within 24 hours - he would make a decision on the fate of the Executive. At this point, many expect him to go up to the Quirinale to resign. Among these, surprisingly, also the Leader of the League, Umberto Bossy, who said he was in favor of continuing the legislature with a government led by PDL secretary Angelino Alfano.
Immediately after the vote, an immediate meeting was opened between the prime minister, the Senatùr and the minister of the economy, Giulio Tremonti. Later the three were joined by ministers Roberto Maroni, Franco Frattini, Altero Matteoli and Maria Stella Gelmini, the secretary of the PDL Angelino Alfano and the undersecretary of the Prime Minister Paolo Bonaiuti.
They are eleven deputies from the majority who did not participate in the vote today. In the PDL area, these are Roberto Antonione, Fabio Fava, Gennaro Malgieri, Giustina Destro, plus Alfonso Papa (under house arrest). Also absent were the members of the Misto Group Calogero Mannino, Giancarlo Pittelli, Luciano Sardelli, Francesco Stagno D'Alcontres and Santo Versace. Instead, Franco Stradella (PDL) abstained. "They betrayed me, but where do they want to go?" Berlusconi asked in the Chamber, to a group of pidiellini, reading the names of the eleven who did not vote.
”At Colle you go up whatever the result. I said it last time, I say it again now. I believe that President Berlusconi must certainly speak to the President of the Republic – commented the Minister of Defence, Ignazio La Russa – Nobody underestimates today's vote, but the opposition continues to have fewer votes than ours”.
