Despite opposition from within his own Democratic Party (PD), Italy's prime minister Matteo Renzi ploughed ahead with his ambitious reform programme by imposing a confidence vote on his electoral reform bill. Despite much muttering in the PD ranks, the measure passed comfortably by 352 to 207 votes.
The bill, which applies only to the lower house of parliament, needs to pass another three votes over the next week before becoming law on July 1st next year. This is to allow time for a parallel reform, establishing a non-elected senate, to be passed into law.
Both opposition forces and PD dissidents argue that, in calling for a "take it or leave it" confidence vote, Mr Renzi had effectively curtailed parliamentary discussion on a delicate measure, fundamental to any representative democracy. They pointed out that the fascist dictator Benito Mussolini used the same confidence vote method in 1923 to copperfasten his hold on parliament.
Italicum
Opponents also argue that the Renzi proposal, called the
Italicum
, will in effect mean that more than two-thirds of deputies will be chosen not by the electorate but rather by party chiefs.
Despite the internal opposition, Mr Renzi had signalled his determination to press ahead with his reforms in a tweet: "The house can bring me down, if it likes, that's what a confidence vote is for. However, as long as I am here, I am going to try to change Italy. "