Senate review of electoral law set for vote on September 15

The Senate Assembly has begun reviewing the new electoral law, which addresses changes related to preferences. The text is currently in the Chamber without a rapporteur, and the constitutional objections raised by the opposition have been rejected. Most parties in the majority maintain that the threshold for the majority premium will remain fixed at 42%, while the proposal to lower it to 41% has been rejected by Forza Italia and Lega.

The debate intensified during a meeting of the center-right, where a common position on introducing preferences emerged, but tensions remain high among majority members. The Senate review is expected to conclude on September 15, and if the text undergoes modifications, it will be sent back to the Chamber of Deputies on September 28, potentially without a runoff.

Various voices have raised concerns regarding the pure preference issue, which Fratelli d'Italia is considering reintroducing. However, there are fears that this move could jeopardize the agreement among majority forces. The government has stated it will not oppose opposition amendments in this area.

According to a report from Rai News, the law provides for a proportional system with the allocation of 70 deputies and 35 senators to the party that reaches the 42% threshold, suggesting that the runoff has now been abandoned.

Furthermore, the government is considering referring the sub-amendments concerning preferences back to the Chamber. The general discussion has been temporarily suspended, with the session scheduled to resume in the afternoon.

Several political figures, including Vannacci and Molinari, have expressed their views on the preference issue, emphasizing the importance of respecting the agreements made over the summer. However, the divisions within the majority continue to pose a significant challenge for the ongoing debate.