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Italy
| COUNTRY |
ELECTION TYPE |
DATE |
| Republic
of Italy |
Referendum
on seven proposals including electoral reform and restructure of the judiciary |
May 21, 2000 |
At stake
in this Referendum:
- Elimination of
affiliation ticket vote for the proportional election of 25% of the
seats in the Chamber of Deputies
- Abolition of reimbursement
of expenses for election or referendum consultations
- Elimination of
the current method of electing judges to the Superior Council of Judiciary
by affiliation ticket ballots
- Separation of
the judiciary into that of judge and public prosecutor
- Abolition of the
possibility of magistrates taking posts outside the judiciary
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Description
of government structure:
- Chief of State: President Carlo Azeglio CIAMPI
- Head
of Government: President of the Council of Ministers Giuliano AMATO
- Assemblies:
Italy has a bicameral Parliament composed of a Senate (Senato),
consisting of 315 members, and Chamber of Deputies (Camera dei Deputati)
consisting of 630 members.
|
Main
provisions in this Referendum:
- Election to
the Chamber of Deputies:
Under current law a mixed electoral system is used to assign the 630
seats stipulated by the Constitution: 475 are elected using the majority
system (first past the post in an equal number of ballots) while 155
are elected using the proportional system (using specific ballots).
Currently, voters are issued one ballot for each of the systems. If
the referendum passes on 21 May the proportional system ballot will
be eliminated and the 25% seats will be allocated to the candidates
who had the highest percentage of votes in their constituencies among
runners up.
- Reimbursement
of expenses for election consultations and referendums:
The referendum would eliminate the current practice in which political
parties or affiliations are reimbursed for expenses incurred in electoral
campaigns for the Senate and Chamber, the European Parliament and regional
councils.
- Election of
the Superior Council of the Judiciary: Under
current law, judges are elected to the Superior Council of the Judiciary
by a proportional system with an affiliation ticket ballot that allows
only one selection. The referendum would replace this system by a single
selection ballot.
- Organization
of the Judiciary:
This referendum would eliminate the possibility for magistrates to shift
from adjudication to investigation and vice-versa.
- Extra-judiciary
Appointments of Judges: This
referendum would eliminate the possibility in which, with prior authorization
from the Superior Council of the Judiciary, magistrates may accept posts
of any kind and assume the functions of arbiter.
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Results of the Referendum:
- *Note: Only 32.5%
of registered voters participated in the referendum when a minimum of
50% + 1 is required for a referendum to pass.
- Election to the
Chamber of Deputies:
Number of Yes
Votes: 11,637,524
Percent of Yes
Votes: 82.0%
Number of No Votes:
2,551,963
Percent of No
Votes: 18.0%
- Reimbursement of
expenses for election consultations and referendums:
Number of Yes Votes:
10,004,581
Percent of Yes
Votes: 71.1%
Number of No Votes:
4,073,688
Percent of No
Votes: 28.9%
- Election of the
Superior Council of the Judiciary:
Number of Yes
Votes: 9,125,465
Percent of Yes
Votes: 70.6%
Number of No Votes:
3,805,250
Percent of No Votes:
29.4%
- Organization of
the Judiciary:
Number of Yes Votes:
9,237,713
Percent of Yes
Votes: 69.0%
Number of No Votes:
4,150,241
Percent of No
Votes: 31.0%
- Extra-judiciary
Appointments of Judges:
Number of Yes
Votes: 10,200,692
Percent of Yes
Votes: 75.2%
Number of No Votes:
3,360,487
Percent of No
Votes: 24.8%
|
Population
and number of registered voters:
- Population: 57,612,615 (Dec. 1998)
- Number of registered voters: 48,846,238 (April 1996)
|
Of Interest:
- A referendum
on electoral reform was held in April 1999, but was declared invalid
because only 49.6% of registered voters participated. At least 50% plus
1 of all registered voters must participate in the referendum for it
to be declared valid.
- A referendum on
the abrogation of a law, either partially or completely, can be held
following the request of 500,000 eligible votes or 5 regional Councils.
- The referendum
is approved only if it receives a majority of the number of votes actually
cast.
- Italian referenda
can only abrogate all or part of existing laws, not insert new language.
A referendum vote is only permitted after the Supreme Court declares
its admissibility.
- Supporters of the
referendum claim that it would make for a more stable and less fragmented
parliament.
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| SOURCE: INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR ELECTION SYSTEMS (IFES) |
| For additional information:
IFES ElectionGuide Online |
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