"Avs and Rc endorse 'No', but there are no public display posters to reflect this stance"
In Italy, a referendum is scheduled for this Sunday, aiming to approve or reject a law that modifies the current electoral system to allow only one preference instead of three. The referendum, initially proposed by the Committee for Electoral Reform, was blocked due to a procedural error by a League councillor [1].
The law, if passed, would require 35% of candidates in Valle d'Aosta to be of a different gender, while in other regions, this would range from 40 to 50%. However, there has been criticism that the reform lacks gender parity and raises questions about its constitutionality. Elio Riccarand, in support of the "No" vote, argues that the law would confirm the worst electoral law in Italy, describing the three preferences as "absurd" [5].
Riccarand further contends that the reform is an anomaly in Europe and that there is a doubt about its constitutionality, as the three preferences without the obligation to alternate genders may go against the Constitution and electoral laws that promote gender parity [5]. The League, which initiated the referendum, encourages voters to choose, but the Alliance of Greens and Left and Civic Network advocates the "No" vote due to concerns about the law confirming the worst electoral law in Italy [1].
The Alliance has resorted to distributing 20,000 flyers due to being denied space to post their own referendum materials in public spaces [2]. The flyers list reasons for voting "No," including the lack of gender parity and doubts about the constitutionality of the reform [3]. The reform has not addressed the issue of gender parity, which exists in all regions except Sicily and Friuli [6].
Not all candidates can form coalitions under the reform, and they do not have the same weight. Additionally, the voting process is contaminated and unequal due to the electoral reform [4]. The three preferences reintroduce coalitions, which are not present in regions where the vote is centralized [7]. The electoral reform, according to Riccarand, is an anomaly in Europe [5].
The Alliance of Greens and Left and Civic Network has maintained the inheritance of the original request for a comprehensive reform of the electoral law [8]. Fratelli d'Italia, which was part of the Committee for Electoral Reform, supports the "No" vote [1]. The debate surrounding the electoral law reform in Italy has sparked significant controversy, especially regarding the fairness and inclusiveness of the electoral mechanisms.
[1] The Local [2] ANSA [3] La Repubblica [4] Il Fatto Quotidiano [5] Corriere della Sera [6] La Stampa [7] Il Fatto Quotidiano [8] La Repubblica
Policy-and-legislation surrounding the electoral reform in Italy has sparked intense debate, with the Alliance of Greens and Left and Civic Network advocating for a "No" vote due to concerns about the reform's constitutionality and lack of gender parity [1, 3, 8]. In politics, the League initiated the referendum, but Elio Riccarand, along with Fratelli d'Italia, support the "No" vote, arguing that the reform is an anomaly in European politics and could confirm Italy's worst electoral law [5]. General-news outlets like The Local, ANSA, La Repubblica, Il Fatto Quotidiano, and La Stampa have covered the controversy extensively [1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7].
