A new women’s protest against the electoral law

Stefania Craxi, leader of Forza Italia in the Senate, has given her approval, as has Marina Berlusconi. And, of course, Giorgia Meloni has also given her approval. But the compromise reached two days ago at the centre-right ‘sherpa’ summit on electoral law has caused fresh unease amongst female MPs across all political camps. For the ‘locked-in’ list leaders, there is no obligation to alternate genders. No quotas. “The truth,” vents a female Forza Italia MP, “is that, absurdly, Forza Italia and the League risk not electing any women at all…”. All hell broke loose. The agreement reached – the 60-40 ratio will apply to the lists of individual parties and to the list of those elected via the majority bonus – is seen as a smokescreen by those who do not feel “sufficiently protected”.

Behind the scenes, there is an exchange of accusations regarding responsibility within the majority, as well as the realisation that the issue of gender parity in the voting system must be addressed once and for all; further analysis will need to be carried out before 1 September – when the amendment on preferences, signed by all group leaders at Palazzo Madama, is to be tabled. For looming in the background, amongst the coalition’s most pessimistic members, is what is regarded as a veritable nightmare: namely, the possibility of another parliamentary debacle following the one that occurred by a single vote three weeks ago. What would happen if, after the Senate gives the green light to the electoral reform introducing preferential voting, the bill were to be rejected once again in the Chamber of Deputies during the final vote? “Forget elections – we’d end up with another Draghi,” says one minister. That is the spectre looming large. “With this agreement,” says another MP from the majority, “we’re taking an even bigger step backwards. So let’s avoid plunging into the abyss…”