Senate approves electoral law reform, text returns to Montecitorio

The Senate approved the reform of the electoral law with 113 votes in favour, 71 against and 2 abstentions. The text, which arrived from the Chamber, was modified by Palazzo Madama and therefore returns for third reading to Montecitorio.

Opposition placards shortly before the approval of the electoral law. The senators protested by showing yellow and red signs with the words "No to the scam law", immediately after the Fratelli d'Italia declaration of vote.

Present on behalf of the government are ministers Roberto Calderoli (Regional Affairs and Autonomy) and Luca Ciriani for Relations with Parliament.

Casellati: 'On gender alternation, the choice is up to the parties'

"As regards gender alternation, it is always the parties that are responsible for the positioning of women. We can also formally establish a proportion of 40 and 60 percent, but if then, as has already happened - I remember the Porcellum - the candidates are placed in the constituencies where they cannot win or, proportionally, in the least favorable positions, then respect for the percentages risks becoming a false one. For this reason I continue to believe it is right to foresee 60 and 40 percent, but it is equally important that the parties take responsibility for guaranteeing women an adequate positioning and, therefore, the representation they are entitled to have". The Minister for Reforms Elisabetta Casellati said this when interviewed on Start on Sky Tg24. "Today, however - she continues - there is a greater awareness of the value of women and the contribution they have made to the change of our society, also through politics. I am therefore confident that this principle will be respected. Even in my party the secretary immediately clarified that this will be the case. I also believe that the principle of merit is becoming increasingly established. A woman must not be chosen simply because she is a woman, but for the value and abilities she expresses. I myself am an example of this: I was the first female President of the Senate, as was the president Meloni is the first female Prime Minister. Beyond the percentages, therefore, there has been a significant evolution. And today - he concludes - there are many women who lead important companies and entities. Quotas have certainly represented an important boost, for example in company boards of directors.

Boccia: 'With a 42% majority, he demonstrates his idea of democracy'

"You have foreseen that 42% could trigger a bonus of up to 70 deputies and 35 senators, but what is your idea of democracy? You take almost everything and hope to elect the President of the Republic yourself, but what is your idea of democracy? Maybe when you get to the Collegium, you appoint the 5 judges of the Constitutional Court because you have never liked this formation so extraordinarily wanted by the Constituents, just like the Constitution which you can't feel is yours, in fact you struggle to define yourselves as anti-fascists". The leader of the Democratic Party, Francesco Boccia, said this while speaking in the chamber on the electoral law.

The M5s group leader shows a card with 'Caste Brothers', sparks with La Russa

Sparks in the Senate chamber during the explanations of vote on the electoral law. The group leader of the M5s, Luca Pirondini, during his speech spoke of 'fraud law' and showed a facsimile of a ballot paper with the writing 'Caste Brothers'. "I call you to order, I didn't expect this lapse in style from a group leader", said president Ignazio La Russa, referring to the fact of having exposed the sheet and not, as he clarified, to the content of the sign. "You cannot interrupt my speech", replied Pirondini, returning to attack the reform.

Avs: 'You have the unspeakable desire that it be scuttled in the Chamber'

In making this reform "you also made a mistake in the calculations: seven months ago Vannacci was at 1%, but in the meantime he has grown and therefore this electoral law that you have tailor-made could backfire on you" and "I am convinced that all of you are hoping that this law will be scuttled in the Chamber, it is your great unspeakable desire, because politics is often like this but this happens when instead of following the general interest you think about pursuing partisan interest". Avs group leader Peppe De Cristofaro said this in a passage of his speech in the Senate as part of the explanations of vote on the electoral law.

Calenda: 'We vote against it, it perpetuates coalitions against each other'

"We will vote against this electoral law and the underlying reasons do not have to do with the threshold of the prize which I believe will backfire or with the indication of the Prime Minister, but it has to do with a more fundamental reason: this law aims to perpetuate a continuous and constant conflict that has been going on in this country for 30 years and which would be the time to end by sending this bipolar system into the attic". Action leader Carlo Calenda said this while speaking in the Senate as part of the explanations of vote on the electoral law.

There are "coalitions that arise only to oust the other" with the result of "always building new extremist populists and propaganda, we know: from honesty to 'Italians first' to 'I'm a mother, I'm Italian' now to 'General' Vannacci, to Corona. Who will be next? Grillo? And then after Grillo will we have other influencers?". "We have an artificial intelligence problem that we don't talk about, three wars and we don't talk about it, we have inflation exploding and we don't talk about it: are you so convinced that forming coalitions against each other will guarantee compactness to this country for what comes next?", this law is "a mistake".

Renzi: 'The majority wants this electoral law only for fear of losing'

"You decide to change the electoral law in September 2026 to have more stability in governments and in the same month you make a big deal to celebrate the longest-serving government in Italian history. So one of two things: either stability arises from the electoral law or the one that exists is fine. The one that you change is the only one that has allowed stability. You don't change it for stability but because you are convinced that in the next round you seriously risk losing. You didn't win last time because of Rosatellum but because the left has not united." The senator of Italia viva, Matteo Renzi, said this, speaking in the Chamber on the electoral law, adding, referring to the centre-left: "Whoever takes it upon himself to break this unity for ideological or personal reasons will go down in history as whoever will give another 5 years to Meloni, Vannacci and company". He then announced his negative vote on the reform.