Electoral law: the government calls for a vote of confidence on three key articles. Final vote on Thursday

The Minister for Relations with Parliament, Luca Ciriani, has tabled a motion of confidence in the Chamber of Deputies on Articles 1, 2 and 3 of the electoral law. Tomorrow, Tuesday 6 October, at 12.10 pm, explanations of vote on Article 1 will begin, with a roll-call vote taking place no earlier than 2.00 pm. This will be followed by explanations of vote on Article 2 and the roll-call vote. On Wednesday 7, from 9.00 am, explanations of vote on Article 3 will begin, with a roll-call vote taking place no earlier than 10.50 am. Once this is concluded, and until 1.30 pm, the Chamber will proceed to the vote on Article 8 of the electoral law. From 4.15 pm, with the possibility of continuing into the night, the agenda items will be dealt with.

On Thursday, 8 October will be the key day: from 10.30 am, the final votes on the bill will be announced live on television; the final vote (by secret ballot, and therefore with the uncertainty of ‘dissenting MPs’) is not expected to take place before 12.30 pm. The acting Speaker, Giorgio Mulè, outlined the voting schedule for the coming days.

“Calling for a vote of confidence” on the electoral law “is disgraceful” and “we express our deepest dismay at this slap in the face for this house of Parliament”. This was stated by Federico Fornaro (PD) in the Chamber of Deputies. “A vote of confidence is being called on 53 amendments tabled by the opposition – anything but an obstructionist stance,” he added. “You are afraid of the stability of your majority and of the secret ballot which, fortunately, will take place,” added the PD MP. “You are afraid of democracy and of your own MPs,” said Filiberto Zaratti of AVS. “We are consigning parliamentary democracy to the dustbin,” said Enrica Alifano of the M5S. “Stop this; we can draft more reasonable legislation,” appealed Riccardo Magi of Più Europa.