“We agree to meet again and we give you availability for Thursday or Friday. It's fine in the House, it's fine in streaming, let us know." This is what we read in the reply letter sent by Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and by the leaders of the Democratic Party to the 5 Star Movement after the grillino ultimatum on the reforms. The pentastellato Luigi Di Maio assures that today the democrats will receive an answer.
“The electoral law for us must be approved as soon as possible – Renzi points out in the letter -. Therefore, reasonably, before the entry into force of the constitutional reform. Having to venture some time, we could say that by 2014 the electoral law will be definitively approved. While the definitive approval of the constitutional reform must take place in 2015, to then proceed to a possible referendum”.
As for the details of the Italicum, “we have proposed the majority prize to the coalition – continues the Premier -, you want to leave it only to the winning list. Yours is a legitimate position, which strengthens bipartisanship at the expense of bipolarity. But why is your majority premium at 52% 'democratic', our Italicum at 55% is 'unconstitutional, authoritarian and anti-democratic', while that of the mayors at 60% returns democratic? The majority bonus is a condition of governance. If there are only five MPs with a difference between the majority and the opposition, the day-to-day endurance of the parliamentary majority will depend on the colds of those elected. We cannot accept a majority at the mercy of aspirin (or, if the quote reminds you of anyone, Maalox).'
In the chapter on constitutional reforms, however, "your position on immunity is very serious", continues Renzi, again addressing the grillini, who would like to limit it, if not exclude it, for the new Senators not directly elected by the citizens but in the second instance (with however, risk of unconstitutionality, given that immunity is in force in the Chamber). “We are also ready to discuss it with the other parties – assures the Premier -. As you know, we don't look anyone in the face and we also voted for the arrest of our colleagues”.
The only point of discussion on the Senate "seems to us to concern the fact that your request is to choose the 74 regional councilors who will also sit in the Senate with the first-level election rather than with the second-level election - the letter continues - . The reform will also be an attack on democracy, but it risks seeing you agree on almost all points”.
Yesterday morning, however, Grillo had published a very controversial post: “We don't trust Della Boschi. The majority of citizens will pull straight to smash the Constitution, maintain their privileges and take popular sovereignty away from the Italians”.
Meanwhile, discussions in the Senate on constitutional reforms began yesterday and will continue today, the last day for the presentation of amendments. Voting on the proposed amendments should begin tomorrow.
