Constitutional Court set to decide today on...>

ITALY: Constitutional Court set to decide today on the right-wing League's

proposal to introduce a first-past-the-post electoral system. 

- Should the Court rule in favour of the League, a referendum on the

introduction of a new system would take place, likely in May or June. This could

run alongside another referendum that received parliamentary approval last week,

which seeks to reduce the number of lawmakers in parliament by a third. 

- The main sticking point for the Court is the immediate applicability of any

such change. Judges don't want scenario in which new system is approved, but

election can't be held due to hold up over establishing new constituencies. 

- In order for either referendum to pass they will require the support of a

simple majority of the electorate, with the turnout threshold at 50%+1. This

threshold makes it difficult for either measure to pass, given the rather dry

nature of the proposals. 

- Should the FPTP proposal be approved by the courts, and sufficiently supported

in a referendum, it would likely provide a significant boost to the League and

its centre-right/right-wing allies in any subsequent election.