Il “Firme” decree becomes law. The Senate has, in fact, given the go-ahead to reduce the number of signatures needed to be able to present the lists for the elections, after last week's halt due to the lack of a quorum.
The provision, in light of the early vote on 24 and 25 February 2013, reduces by 75% the number of signatures required to present an electoral list for parties not present in Parliament since the beginning of the legislature: now about 40 will be enough. For those parties which, like the UDC, have a group within only one of the two chambers, a further reduction of 60% is also envisaged.
On the other hand, the much-contested rule which allowed parliamentary groups set up before 20 December, such as the Brothers of Italy, not having to collect signatures, has been removed. The only lists exempt from collection, therefore, are Pd, Pdl, Lega and Idv.
