The Stabilucum is now law. Final approval from the Chamber of Deputies. Meloni: “Italians are back in the driving seat”

Following the passage of the three confidence motions on the first three articles between yesterday and Tuesday, this morning the electoral law was definitively approved by the Chamber of Deputies with 227 votes in favour and 164 against. This time, the secret ballot did not play any tricks on the centre-right majority. The ‘Stabilicum’ is therefore now law. In mid-July, thanks precisely to the secret ballot, rebels within the majority struck down the amendment sought by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni for at least a partial reintroduction of preferential voting. Those very same preferential votes that were reintroduced in the Senate. This time, things turned out differently. 

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is indeed delighted: “With this approval, Italians will return to the polls and will be able to choose everything: the party, the coalition, the manifesto, the prime ministerial candidate and – once again – their own MP. The centre-right is reintroducing the preferential vote, which has been absent for over thirty years. Furthermore, stable governments and greater participation mean more continuity, more accountability and a greater ability to provide concrete answers to Italians.”

In the Chamber, the leaders of the PD and M5S, Elly Schlein and Giuseppe Conte, also spoke during the explanation of vote. Now, the leaders of the broad coalition who consider the law unconstitutional – in particular regarding the nomination of the prime ministerial candidate to be included in the coalitions’ election manifestos and the collection of signatures – have no option but to lodge appeals with the Constitutional Court, which associations and constitutional experts were already preparing.

"Tra pochi minuti, se questa legge passerà, entreremo nella Terza Repubblica". Lo ha detto, nell'Aula della Camera, il responsabile organizzazione di Fratelli d'Italia, Giovanni Donzelli, in dichiarazione di voto finale sul testo di riforma della legge elettorale. “Thanks to a mature right wing, a democracy free from paralysis and political blackmail, we shall enter the Third Republic with a democracy of political alternation.” Donzelli also used his speech to respond to the leader of the M5S, Giuseppe Conte: “You have presented a photograph here of Roberto Borsellino with Falcone and Borsellino; well, even at the Last Supper, Judas is standing next to Jesus Christ…”

“I have listened to my colleagues’ speeches and I can understand your embarrassment. Because today they are making you vote on precisely the same bill that you rejected on 14 July, and you are voting for it out of fear of the voters’ judgement. I can understand your embarrassment, and I ask you: what has changed since 14 July, when you rejected the very same bill that they are now making you vote on today, using the threat of a vote of confidence and early elections as blackmail? Fear. You’ve had us stuck for five months talking about nothing but electoral law; from June to October, you’ve done nothing but try to secure your hold on power – your slogan is ‘seats first’. And yet,” continued Schlein, “you’ve been in government for four years – what have you actually done for Italy? Stick your heads out of these buildings. Businesses are closing down because energy costs are among the highest in Europe; families have to choose between paying their rent or their bills. None of this has happened by chance; it has happened because you have chosen to look after nothing but yourselves.” The secretary then went on to emphasise the fear of another defeat due to the secret ballot: “Meloni has tabled three motions of confidence. You’re scared; you’ve placed five colonels in the back row to keep an eye on how their neighbour votes.” Finally, she declared: “Go ahead and change the electoral law yourselves – we, as the progressive alliance, will be able to win under any law.”

The first opposition leader to speak during the voting debate was Giuseppe Conte. The leader of the M5S went straight on the offensive: “You are tailoring a suit for yourselves that you have kept altering right up to now based on the latest poll on Vannacci. The only thing missing is for you to specify that the majority bonus should go to a prime minister with light-coloured eyes. You are focusing on the electoral law to perpetuate your power. You are doing this now that you are afraid of losing.” Conte then showed photographs of M5S Senator Roberto Scarpinato with Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino, as well as other photographs of former FdI Undersecretary Andrea Delmastro with restaurateur Mauro Caroccia and of the Chair of the Anti-Mafia Commission, Chiara Colosimo, with Luigi Ciavardini. For days now, in fact, a clash has been ongoing in the Anti-Mafia Commission between the 5S and FdI over Scarpinato’s alleged obstruction of the commission’s work.

The former prime minister finally attacked the ruling coalition over preferential votes, which “are a sham; let’s not take the Italians for a ride. “More than 80 per cent of the members of the next Parliament will be decided by party secretariats without the Italians having a free choice.” And on the collection of signatures for parties outside Parliament, he said: “This also blocks the way for new political groups, who will have to collect over 400,000 signatures. Aren’t you ashamed of this freedom-destroying rule?”

Before them, Riccardo Magi, secretary of Più Europa, who has been on hunger strike for several days in protest against the measure, also spoke. “This reform,” he said, “leads Italy down the dead end of illiberal democracies and marks the beginning of a regime change.” Then, addressing the benches occupied by MPs from the ruling coalition, he added: “Come to your senses: disobey, do the right thing for democracy. Honour your mandate as MPs, which must be free from any constraints; you would be proud of that.” Angelo Bonelli, leader of the Green Party (AVS), was also scathing: “It is utterly unconstitutional and has become a tool of the majority, which seeks to authoritatively exploit the fear of losing the elections.” The MP then appealed to his colleagues on the centre-left: “If there were to be a deadlock or a change in the Constitutional Court, Meloni would strike a deal with Vannacci. That is why the centre-left must press ahead with its environmentalist and progressive programme.” 

Speaking on behalf of the Vannacciani faction, MP Edoardo Ziello asserted: “If this electoral law includes at least these ‘mixed preferences’, it is thanks to the General, who reminded the centre-right of certain promises it had made in previous years.” Ziello then announced that the National Front (FN) would vote against the bill, but left the door open to an alliance with the rest of the centre-right: “These aren’t real preferences; we’re forced to vote against it, but now is the time to see if dialogue is possible to prevent the likes of Bonelli and Fratoianni from forming a government.”