The electoral reform takes a substantial and definitive step forward in the Senate. The assembly of Palazzo Madama in fact approved with 170 votes in favour, 110 against and 2 abstentions, the amendment presented by Senator Pd Esposito and supported by the majority. This is the so-called super-kangaroo: a modification which takes up all the key points of the reform and which effectively makes all the 44 amendments and sub-amendments presented by the various oppositions to the text inadmissible, which is thus on its way to final approval.
It had been in the morning rejected the Gotor amendment (minority Pd) which proposed to raise the share of seats assigned with preferences to 70%.
The votes took place after a new pact between the premier and secretary of the Democratic Party Matteo Renzi and the leader of Forza Italia Silvio Berlusconi had shielded the electoral reform from the attempts to change it carried out by the minorities of both the Democratic Party and Fi.
Here are the fundamental points of the reform: majority premium to the winning list (up to 340 seats) and not to the coalition; the prize is awarded to the list that wins with at least 40% of the votes in the first round or to whoever, among the first two winning lists, passes the subsequent ballot; the barrier threshold is set at 3% at national level; the leading candidates are blocked but if the party wins more than one seat then the other candidates are chosen on the basis of votes and preference; the new text will enter into force on 1 July 2016.
