Referendum 2020, times and how parties vote. What changes if Yes – Politics wins

Rome, 18 September 2020 – On 20 and 21 September voting will take place (from 7 to 23 on Sunday and from 7 to 15 on Monday) constitutional referendum for the cut of parliamentarians. The referendum was called to approve or reject the constitutional revision law entitled “Amendments to articles 56, 57 and 59 of the Constitution regarding the reduction of the number of parliamentarians”.

No Quorum

There will be no need to quorum. Basically, whoever gets the most votes regardless of the number of voters wins. This is the fourth confirmatory referendum in the history of republican Italy. The text of the law, definitively approved by the House on 8 October 2019, provides for the 36.5% cut of the members of both branches of Parliament.

Yes or No, what happens

In the event of a Yes vote, it would go from 630 to 400 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and from 315 to 200 elective seats in the Senate. The referendum was scheduled for March 29 last. But it was all postponed to 20 and 21 September due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The alignments of the parties

The positions of the parties are not unique. The official nature often does not correspond to the reality and sensitivities of one’s own group and of one’s constituents / militants. But let’s see in detail.

5 Star Movement. The political group that, in fact, wanted this law in the name of the “anticasta” and of a never completely dormant populist anti-parliamentarianism is obviously for the Yes. But even among the pentastellati there are those who say No. The case of the deputy is exemplary Elisa Siragusa who said: “Reducing parliamentary representation to save a coffee a year makes no sense. The ratio is not clear on efficiency. To improve efficiency, the operating regulations of the Chambers should first be reviewed ”. Other lighter grillini also expressed doubts and perplexities.

Pd. The leader Nicola Zingaretti officially lined up the party for the Yes. But he had to get by showing many embarrassed silences due to the numerous discontent of the suburbs and the loud and clear No of exponents such as Gianni Cuperlo or Matteo Orfini. Furthermore, too many silences and the lack of reform of the electoral law put the dem management group in obvious difficulty.

League. The Northern League leader Matteo Salvini said that the Carroccio is lined up for the Yes, but, behind the scenes, everyone knows that the reform is hard to digest for a party that makes its roots in the territory one of its strengths.

Brothers of Italy. A decided Yes that does not seem to have any hesitation. Giorgia Meloni, however, must also, albeit to an infinitely lesser extent than the other parties, with the perplexities of the periphery.

Italy Viva. The Renzi group leaves free to vote, even if, after all, it is for No.

Come on Italy. Split party from the beginning. The ‘revolt’ against the Yup (led by many prominent exponents) was certified by the doubts expressed without hesitation by the same Silvio Berlusconi who made it clear that a victory for the reduction of parliamentarians would not improve the general picture. Rather.

The others. Emma Bonino and + Europe for the no, as well as (with the exception of Bersani) the left-left such as Article 1 and Communist Refoundation as well as Riccardo Nencini’s socialists