The Lower Chamber approves the Constitutional Reform, Renzi puts everything at stake with the Referendum

Rome – The battle has officially started. Actually, “the mother of all battles”, seen by the President of the Council of Ministers, Matteo Renzi, as the crucial test for the prosecution of his political career. The Chamber of Deputies (the Italian ‘Lower House’) has in fact approved the Constitutional Reform already approved by the Senate. Now the two Chambers will examine the law once more, without the possibility of amending it, before the Confirmative Referendum – provided for by the Constitution – which is to be likely held in October.

The Prime Minister indicated this vote as crucial for his political future: rejoicing for the result obtained, he highlighted on FaceBook the “overwhelming majority” obtained, “waiting for the preference citizens will express in autumn.” “If I lose the Constitutional Referendum, I will consider my political experience as a failure” he said during the 2015 final Press Conference, launching himself into a challenge which could even mean his departure from the political scene in case of defeat.

In Renzi’s mind, this Constitutional Reform is crucial for giving Italy a much needed stability and streamlining the political action of the government; still, according to the opposition, the abolition of the ‘perfect’ bicameralism, together with the new Electoral Law (which gives a majority premium to the first party), is just an “attack on democracy” because it unbalances the established institutional equilibria in favour of the Government.

This is the denounce made by Sinistra Italiana, the political group composed of SEL together with some former members of the Democratic Party, which sees the reform as a plan organised by Brussels institutions. According to Stefano Quaranta, member of SI, “for the European ruling institutions it’s better having government ready to obey their orders than Parliaments discussing proposals and then deciding about them.”

The path towards the referendum will be very hard, and the battle led by supporters of a rejection o the reform has already started. Jurists such as Stefano Rodotà and Domenica Gallo adhered to the Committee for ‘no’ chaired by Alessandro Paci, and held a meeting while the Chamber was voting on the reform. It’ll be odd to see Sinistra Italiana, Forza Italia, Lega and the Movimento Cinque Stelle on the same side. On the other hand, the entire EU awaits for the result of this vote: a ‘yay’ or ‘nay’ vote will decide not only the future of PM Renzi, but also the increased or decreased capacity of governments to impose decisions taken on the European stage.