The reduction would represent unequal treatment for Italian citizens living outside Italy
At this moment, in the context of the Italian Parliament, we are in the process of discussing, improving and voting on a project to reform articles of the Italian Constitution that deals with the restructuring of both branches of parliament, the Senate and the Chamber.
The objective of the proposal presented by the right-wing (Lega) and populist (M5S) parties, with the support of two other right-wing parties, Berlusconi's Forza Italia and Giorgia Melone's Fratelli d'Italia, is based on the simplistic vision of reducing the number of parliamentarians and consequently cutting spending, without, however, presenting any new concept that could improve the system of representation in a country whose tradition, since 1948, respects the centrality of power in a broad collegiate of representatives of society, the parliament.
The problem with the current system focuses on two uncomfortable issues, which, once overcome, could guarantee effectiveness and efficiency without compromising the democratic process, on the contrary, it would greatly strengthen the legitimacy of parliamentary representations.
The first: Perfect Bicameralism, a system in force today in Italy that allows the functions of the Chamber and the Senate to overlap. Both branches of parliament carry out the same and repetitive activities. I can say, having exercised my mandate as a Senator and now as a Deputy, that it is counterproductive for the decision-making process, two collegiate bodies taking turns in reproducing amendments and absurdly lengthening the time for discussion and approval of a bill.
The maturation of understanding whether new legislation, or its respective improvement, is necessary depends solely and exclusively on a careful, serious and consequential analysis of its real effects to improve the life of society, analytical quality therefore and not quantitative, be it time or number of parliamentarians.
The essence is to improve the lives of those who pay the bill, the taxpayer and also the most fragile who need support from the State.
The second: Closed Party List, that is, voters do not have the freedom to vote for the candidates in whom they place their trust, their hope, they are forced to vote for a party, whose list of names and their order of placement are decided by the internal policies of these parties, normally dominated by political chiefs, not characterized as a list based on merit, but rather, by a game of purely electoral interests or collusion.
Therefore, if, indeed, the objective of this pseudo reform was centered on improving the system without compromising the democratic spirit, these two modifications should be considered: reviewing the role of each of the branches of parliament, defining specific functions or, at the limit, adopt the practice of a single legislative house, as well as guarantee direct election for members of parliament.
We have observed information that the cut from 630 to 400 deputies and from 315 to 200 senators had already been approved. It is important to highlight that a project to modify constitutional articles follows a procedure of two passes through the Chamber and two through the Senate and, depending on the number of votes obtained, absolute majority or not, it must still go through a popular referendum (plebiscite) to become de facto and de jure, into Law.
I think that, with the European elections approaching, that is, the election in each member country to choose their representatives in the European Parliament, these parties that presented this simplistic proposal to cut expenses did nothing more than a shameless and demagogic piece of advertising of an electoral nature.
In the particular case of those elected abroad, the proposal reduces from 12 to 8 deputies and from 6 to 4 senators. The population of Italy totals close to 61 million inhabitants, perhaps between 40 and 45 million voters with the right to elect today 603 deputies and 309 senators, while the Italian population living abroad, totaling just over 5 million, elects, respectively 12 deputies and 6 senators, that is, each deputy elected indirectly in Italy represents, in terms of number of valid votes, around 96 thousand voters and each deputy elected abroad represents around 400 thousand voters! A Senator indirectly elected in Italy represents 192 thousand voters and each Senator directly elected abroad represents 400 thousand voters!
The reduction would represent unequal treatment for Italian citizens living outside Italy, requiring a deputy to represent around 700 people and a senator, around 1.2 million voters!
Reinforcing the information that abroad one is elected with the direct, nominal vote of each voter and not on lists decided behind closed doors.
I think that a constitutional review of this nature and scope requires greater seriousness and attention.
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