Electoral law shakes coalitions. FdI: 'Now governability'

Officially, the 'pot' of the next electoral law has not yet been uncovered, also because - as a centre-right exponent summarizes - it contains potentially "explosive" material. For both coalitions. So much so that a behind-the-scenes story published by Corriere della Sera on "secret" contacts between Giorgia Meloni and Elly Schlein on a Tatarellum-like model, the electoral system designed for the regional elections, has made more than one ally jump out of their seats. Early in the morning, Nazareno was quick to deny the news, "devoid of any foundation", but that was enough to register the first moves of the parties. With FdI clarifying: a reform is needed that allows "governability" and rewards coalitions. The discussion is "at year zero, not only have there been no meetings in the centre-right, but none have even been planned", says a source close to the dossier. Since no one has really laid down the cards, the messages between allies and sides are still nebulous. "We are working on it, we certainly need something oriented towards governability and that incentivizes coalitions to have stable governments", says Lucio Malan, leader of the Senate group from FdI. No comment from the League, the party is in no hurry to tackle the reform (the electoral law "is not my passion", Matteo Salvini had stressed in one of his last speeches).

While the vice-premier of the party Antonio Tajani goes out on a limb: "I am in favor of proportional representation, if we move in the direction of a proportional electoral law, like the one that exists for the election of the mayor, of the presidents of the Region". From the Democratic Party, an expert in electoral laws intervenes, Senator Dario Parrini who, in defining "unacceptable partisan impositions", underlines that Schlein's party "has repeatedly recalled that the number one problem is to give back voice and dignity to the voters by overcoming the blocked lists and inserting preferences". In his opinion "saying, as Tajani did, that we are in favor of proportional representation and, at the same time, for a system similar to the one that exists for the election of mayors and governors, two very accentuated majoritarian list voting, makes no sense. Let's not kid ourselves, to start discussing we need clarity". Even the Democratic Party itself does not have a defined line, more than one Democratic exponent reports that there has been no discussion on the matter. When it happens, we will have to deal with the positions, perhaps a little different, of the M5s and Avs. From Campo Marzio there are no direct reactions and those close to Giuseppe Conte refer to the positions expressed several times by the president of the M5s, in favor of a reform in a proportional sense with an adequate threshold. From the Green Left Alliance, Angelo Bonelli challenges the prime minister: "Meloni, who is not only the prime minister but the leader of Fratelli d'Italia, must emerge from the darkness of the plots and publicly say if she wants to change the electoral law and how! We want a law that guarantees pluralism and governability with proportionality and does not result in presidentialism. Because we want to safeguard the prerogatives of Parliament". If the secretary of the Cgil Maurizio Landini invites to tackle not only the quorum for the referendums but also the electoral law, from Azione Osvaldo Napoli warns: "I find the denial of the Pd on the contacts between Schlein and Meloni on the electoral law appropriate. The rules are not in the exclusive power of two leaders".