Italian General Election: A Simple Guide to the Parties
Italy’s next general election to renew both Parliament ’s chambers (Camera dei deputati -630 members- and Senato della Repubblica- 315 members-) will be held on March, 4. The elections follow Italian President Sergio Mattarella’ s dissolution of the Parliament on December 28, 2017, due to Prime Minister Matteo Renzi’s resignation. Renzi resigned after the reforms to Italy’s Constitution and the Italian Parliament, which he had endorsed, had been rejected by 59.1 % of Italians via a referendum.
The Italian Parliament during a plenary session
The new electoral law (Rosatellum) declares that coalitions do not have to specify a party leader on the ballot. Single parties need at least 3% of the total votes to gain representation in parliament, while coalitions need at least 10%.
According to opinion polls so far, none of the parties will reach an outright majority and observers fear that negotiations among parties to reach a so called “grand coalition”, i.e. a government made of all parties which have passed the election thresholds, may provoke instability once again.
The ongoing election campaign is very tense, particularly since the racially motivated shooting by a former far right candidate in the small city of Macerata reignited the debate over xenophobia and how to tackle immigration among parties (for more details, see article on LPD Italian Politics Brief blog).
Together with immigration, the need to tackle unemployment, fiscal burdens and welfare are some of the major issues the official party programs and, consequently, public opinion revolve around.
Here is an overview of the main points enclosed in the official platforms submitted by the three main parties/coalitions.
Right Coalition: includes Forza Italia, led by former four-time Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, the radical right Northern League, led by Matteo Salvini, and Brothers of Italy, led by Giorgia Meloni
EUROPE: Abolish austerity measures and weaken the influence of the EU on national issues
MIGRATION: Repatriate illegal migrants, Enhancing control on the border and stop the access of migrant boats
WELFARE: Replace the current, controversial pension law introduced by former Minister Elsa Fornero as one of the austerity measures implemented to tackle the Italian economic crisis in 2011. In particular, increase the minimum pension income. Grant a minimum income.
TAXATION: Introduce a“flat tax” , which would fix the tax rate, regardless of income, which the coalition estimates should reduce the the tax burden on a large number of families, abolishing housing, inheritance and road taxes.
Left Coalition: includes the Democratic Party, led by former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, Insieme, led by Giulio Santagata, Civica Popolare, a new party led by Beatrice Lorenzin, current Minister of Health, and Europa, led by Emma Bonino, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and a member of the European Parliament and the Italian Senate.
EUROPE: Renegotiate EU austerity measures and enhance political and social cooperation with the EU
MIGRATION: Make all EU Member State responsible for managing migration flows,Introducing the Ius Soli law, grant citizenship to anyone born on Italian soil regardless of the nationality of his/her parents
LABOR: Foster gender wage equality
TAXATION: Tackling tax evasion through the improvement of the use and cross-referencing of databases
WELFARE: Grant a minimum income, provide economic support for families with children
5 Star Movement: anti-establishment Party
EUROPE: Abolish EU austerity measures, negotiate an alternative to the Euro, which the party considers unfair and unsustainable
MIGRATION: Distribute asylum seekers among all EU Member States and create safe and legal routes to Italy
LABOR: Reduce working hours, allow earlier retirement and increase the involvement of workers in managerial decisions
WELFARE: Citizen income granted to unemployed citizens and those with low income or pensions, abolish f the current pension law introduced by former Minister Elsa Fornero, in particular increase the minimum pension income
TAXATION: Tackle tax evasion through implementing an online control system.
