Stop perfect bicameralism: this is the main novelty that was launched with the definitive approval of the law (which, however, will be submitted to a referendum in October) on constitutional reforms, which also provides for a new federalism, new rules for referendums and the abolition of the Cnel.
The most important novelty of the so-called Boschi law, which was approved today with 361 votes in favor and seven against (the oppositions left the Chamber at the time of the vote) is the reform of the two Chambers. There House of Representatives she will continue to be elected in the same way as now: there will always be 630 deputies and they alone will be able to vote for confidence in the government's measures. Furthermore, the second office of the State, which replaces the President of the Republic in case of need, will no longer be the President of the Senate but that of the Chamber.
The Senate, on the other hand, is heavily downsized: members go from 315 to 100, of which 95 elected by the regional councils (21 mayors and 74 councillors-senators) plus 5 appointed by the President of the Republic who will remain in office for 7 years. Therefore, the senators for life disappear (those currently in office will be added to the 100, but no others will be nominated). Should the confirmatory referendum next autumn validate the law, the new Senate will only have legislative competence over reforms and constitutional laws, ratifications of EU treaties and electoral laws: as regards ordinary laws, it will be able to ask the Chamber to modify them, but Montecitorio will not be required to follow up on the request. The indemnities currently in force for those occupying seats in Palazzo Madama will also be suspended, but parliamentary immunity is envisaged.
Important news also for the Constitutional Court: out of 15 judges, of the 5 that belong to Parliament, 3 will be elected by the Chamber and 2 by the Senate. During the first two ballots, for their election it will be necessary to reach a majority of two thirds of the assembly, while in the following one a majority of three fifths will suffice.
The Boschi bill has proposed significant changes to theelection of the President of the Republicto. The place of the regional delegates will be taken by the new senators, but the most important change undoubtedly concerns the quorum to be reached: in the first three votes everything remains unchanged and the Head of State will be elected only in the presence of a majority of two thirds of the Assembly. From the fourth vote onwards, the quorum will drop from an absolute majority to a majority of three-fifths of the entire Assembly, while from the seventh vote onwards it will have to reach three-fifths of the voters.
The number of signatures required to submit a referendum it will rise from 500 to 800 (and a declaration of admissibility from the Constitutional Court will also be required), while 150 instead of 50 will be needed for a bill. The reform also envisages the introduction in the Constitution of two other types of referendums: propositional and general referendums. It will be up to the Chamber to pass a law outlining the methods of implementation.
