ROME. The Chamber of Deputies rejected by one vote the amendment from Brothers of Italy, Noi moderati, and Udc to the electoral law, number 1.1077, which provided, along with the blocked list leader, the possibility to mark up to three preferences from the same list. The rejection, by secret ballot, came with 188 against and 187 in favor.
After the Chamber rejected the center-right amendment on preferences, applause and chants of “resignations, resignations” and also “elections, elections” came from the opposition benches.
Reactions
Among the first reactions was that of the M5S president Conte: «There are moments when, holding a high government office, one must take responsibility for one’s decisions.» He said this in the Chamber of Deputies, the president of the Five Star Movement, Giuseppe Conte, after the rejection of Bignami’s amendment on preferences.
And further: «There was a treacherous, falsifying, and misleading attempt by Brothers of Italy and Giorgia Meloni to fool Italians with a fake, false amendment on preferences. Meloni – he added – intended to challenge this Parliament and all forces, launching a challenge saying that we must put our face to it. You put your face to it, you went down and you no longer have confidence in your Prime Minister. You open a government crisis and go home because it’s our turn,» Conte concluded.
«A vote against arrogance. Some deputies from their own majority evidently thought to say no.» This was said by the PD secretary Elly Schlein.
Along the same lines were the concepts and words from Laura Boldrini, PD deputy and president of the Chamber’s permanent committee on human rights worldwide, and from Angelo Bonelli and Nicola Fratoianni of Avs.
«We have always been in favor of preferences. And we consider it a shame that, by secret ballot, right-wing parliamentarians rejected an amendment that improved the terrible electoral law. At this point, however, the fact is simple: the majority no longer exists. Meloni should go to the Quirinale immediately and resign. She does not have the trust of the people and today she has also lost that of the palace. We make a commitment: no backroom deals, no technical government. Let’s go to the polls immediately: let’s return the word to the citizens, with this electoral law. Let’s vote in September, as was already done four years ago, and see who is really afraid of the judgment of Italians.» Thus on X the leader of Iv Matteo Renzi.
The Fdi group leader
«We had made a commitment to give the possibility to choose who to elect. You say you want to do it and you haven’t even presented an amendment to do so. And this means fooling Italians.» This was said by the president of the Fdi deputies, Galeazzo Bignami, in the Chamber after the rejection of the majority amendment.
«The difference between us and you – he added – is that we put our face to it, you put something else.» Bignami spoke of the «umpteenth cowardice» of those «who are not capable of openly saying how they vote. You come to give us lessons and then vote against preferences. You tell us you want seats for women but you don’t have the courage to nominate them. The difference is between those who take responsibility for their actions and those who hide. If I were you, I would go hide.»
The Fdi group leader then asked to proceed with the votes.
