With less than 30 days left until the popular consultation, Italianism summarizes thethe reasons for YES and NO
Pros or cons? With less than 30 days to go until the vote, Italian voters and parties are divided on the issue of 2020 constitutional referendum, which foresees the cut of parliamentarians.
Many, including in Brazil, wonder why (and for what) to vote on September 20th and 21st.
Italian citizens residing in Brazil, registered on electoral lists, you can vote. Non-compulsory voting.
The referendum, which was due to take place on March 29, was postponed until the last weekend of summer due to the coronavirus emergency.
On the same two dates, 7 regions of Italy (Campania, Liguria, Marche, Puglia, Tuscany and Veneto) will its regional elections to choose mayors and councilors, and seats in the senate (Veneto and Sardinia).
Why vote in the 2020 referendum: the reasons
The constitutional reform of the articles 56, 57 and 59, approved in 2019 by the Italian Parliament and now in popular consultation through the referendum, provides for the reduction in the number of parliamentarians from the current total of 945 to 600 in total.
The cut, if approved with a yes vote, will reduce the number of deputies: from 630 to 400 and those of senators from 315 to 200.
The number of parliamentarians elected by Italians abroad will also fall: the current 12 deputies from the foreign constituency will increase to 8, the senators from 6 to 4.
Pro: the reasons for “yes” in the referendum on cutting parliamentarians
The cut in parliamentarians is a symbolic reform of the 5 Star Movement, which – unlike other parties – is clearly in favor of the September 2020 constitutional referendum.
Among the reasons for “yes” is the cost reduction of the political machine and Parliament, greater efficiency of the two chambers and an alignment of the numbers of the Italian parliament with those of other European countries.
Why vote yes?
According to the pro-referendum committees, the cut in parliamentarians will lead to a savings of 100 million euros per year, totaling half a billion per mandate, taking into account subsidies and reimbursements.
According to supporters of the reform, the almost thousand parliamentarians in the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate are a burden for Italy. Those who are in favor of the referendum also highlight that the cut will make more efficient the work of the two parliamentary powers.
Cons: why vote no in the September 2020 referendum, the reasons for “no”
The “no” committees to the 2020 referendum highlight the need for broader constitutional reform, including the cut of parliamentarians.
However, the simple numerical reduction – without being accompanied by other corrections – compromises the representativeness and will not bring benefits to the efficiency of the House and Senate, predicting only a quantitative change.
Why vote no to cutting parliamentarians?
Among the reasons for “no” in this referendum, the main one is the decrease in representation, with increasingly larger and more extensive schools.
If the “yes” vote in the referendum were won – opponents say – it would affect the relationship between the number of parliamentarians and the Italian population.
In this way, a single parliamentarian would represent a larger share of the population and the minorities would be less represented.
In the Senate, some smaller regions would be penalized by the number of deputies.
Finally, there is the chapter “how much does Parliament cost”. For those who vote “no”, the savings from cutting parliamentarians will be much lower than the 100 million euros estimated by the opposing committees.
The “yes” and “no” parties in the referendum
The reasons for “yes” and “no” in the September referendum not only divide voters, but also shake parties and parliamentarians.
O 5 Star Movement (the “catch-all” party), promoter of reform, is in a very solid position and positions itself favor of “yes".
O + Europe (center party) is clearly aligned with “no”.
On the left, the Democratic Party is divided on the topic of the 2020 referendum: the official PD line is pro-reform, but within the political formation there are many dissonant voices.
Similar situation in the Liberi and Uguali (Leu) . Outside parliament, the Sardine movement, by other side, was from side of no to reform.
The center right Forza Italy, by Silvio Berlusconi, is divided on the issue: the leader of the group in the Chamber aligned the blue for yes, but other names in the party do not agree.
Part of the right-wing Alloy, by Matteo Salvini, must say yes to the referendum, even invoking a new electoral law.
Finally, the nationalist brothers from Italy, by Giorgia Meloni, will also vote in favor of reducing parliament.
How elected representatives vote in Brazil
✘ VOTE NO – Representative of Alloy in South America, Luis Roberto Lorenzato votes against the reform because he believes it is a trap to destabilize the republic.
For him, the cut in parliament represents “a populist gesture to give the false impression of savings to public coffers”.
Like his party, he believes that Italy needs administrative political reform, with a direct election for president of the Republic, and an end to life-long senators, for example.
✘ VOTE NO – Member of PD, Fausto Longo, believes that the reduction of representatives would leave many segments and regions out of parliament, including in South America.
“I do not agree with the reduction, already minuscule, of representatives of Italian communities living outside the Italy and which total more than 80 million Italian descendants and almost 6 million voters”, said the parliamentarian.
