Anna Finocchiaro, leading exponent of the Democratic Party and president of the Constitutional Affairs Commission of the Senate was, by unanimous recognition, the great weaver of the constitutional reform of the Senate. In this interview you gave to FIRSTonline you talk about it with satisfaction even if you don't hide your concern about the quorum for the election of the Head of State which risks handing over a veto power to the parliamentary minority. But other answers from Finocchiaro, always frank, are also of great interest and relevance, such as the one on the Italicum ("now there are no conditions to change it") or on the primaries which should be "regulated by law" and which are not always indispensable . Here is the full text of the interview.
FIRSTonline – President Finocchiaro, will this really be the right time for the reform of the Senate? Is it reasonable to think that, although there are still three parliamentary readings left, the final text of the constitutional reform will be the one approved on Tuesday evening in the Palazzo Madama hall?
FINOCCHIARO - I am convinced that the text released by Palazzo Madama could be the definitive text which will then be submitted, after the last parliamentary passages, to the scrutiny of the referendum. My conviction stems from the fact that this text has already seen two readings in the Senate and one in the House. And this draft is the result of an in-depth discussion and a comparison that also took place in an interlocution, at least as regards the majority that supports the government, with Montecitorio. The second reading of Palazzo Madama enriched the text and made it more balanced. I believe that the next parliamentary readings will confirm the text voted on 13 October.
FIRSTonline – According to the unanimous judgment of all the most attentive observers, you were the great weaver of the agreement that led to the approval of the reform of the Senate: which are the points that most satisfy you and which ones would you like to improve the most?
FINOCCHIARO – I believe that the most important part of this reform concerns the functions of the new Senate. Inappropriately we speak of the end of this institution. It's wrong. With this reform we have put an end to perfect bicameralism, leaving the Chamber with the function of granting or revoking confidence in the government, but entrusting the Senate, which now represents the territorial institutions, with very important functions of monitoring public policies, verifying the implementation of European Unions, a link between the State and local authorities. This is what many have been asking for for too many years, from many quarters, even on the left, in order to make our institutional system more similar to that of other European countries. The concern that remains to me is that which concerns the quorum for the election of the Head of State: if it had been possible I would have intervened on this point because I believe that with the approved law we run the risk of remaining slaves to a veto power on the part of a parliamentary minority.
FIRSTonline – Despite so many clarifications, is it hard to believe that most citizens understand who will actually choose future senators? Will there always be absolute coincidence between the designation of citizens and the election of future senators by the regional councils or can there be a gap? Can you explain exactly how this will be done?
FINOCCHIARO - I think the rule is clear. The choice of citizens will be decisive. The text is explicit: the senators will be elected, using the proportional method, by the regional councils to which they belong, in accordance with the choices expressed by the voters during the election of the councils themselves. Of course then it will be necessary to properly codify the election rules in the national framework law and in the regional electoral laws.
FIRSTonline – When will the new electoral law for the future Senate be put on the parliamentary agenda?
FINOCCHIARO – There is an obligation foreseen in the text: the rules must be approved within six months of the entry into force of the reform.
FIRSTonline – After the definitive approval of the constitutional reform of the Senate, what other institutional reforms are foreseen in this legislature?
FINOCCHIARO – I believe that if we manage to approve the constitutional reform on time, we will be able to say we are satisfied with the work of this legislature. Let's not forget the approval of the electoral reform. These are two important pillars for our institutional system.
FIRSTonline – The president emeritus of the Republic, Giorgio Napolitano, in his speech to the Senate on Tuesday effectively reopened the front of the revision of the Italicum: what do you think? Is it right to talk about it in this legislature? Is the majority prize better for the list or for the coalition?
FINOCCHIARO – I think that now there aren't the conditions or the hypotheses to modify an electoral law, which gives the prize to the list, approved by Parliament a few months ago. I think it is necessary to concentrate on the conclusion of the path of the constitutional reform which must lead to the referendum.
FIRSTonline – After the flop of the primaries in Rome, Naples, Sicily and Liguria, it still makes sense to resort to this type of candidate selection without a law or regulation that unequivocally establishes who can vote and who controls the results of the consultation ?
FINOCCHIARO - I'm making a consideration of a political nature. I believe, also in the light of the experiences of recent years, that if a candidate naturally asserts itself over the others, receives a shared consensus, it is not necessary to resort to the primaries. Which I would however regulate with a law and reserve for monocratic offices. I remain convinced that the parties are responsible for selecting the political ruling classes.
