Italy’s majority and minority parties are considering lowering the voting threshold ahead of the upcoming EU elections, while Matteo Renzi’s party remains opposed and aims for an alliance with the centre and the left in Brussels.
Ahead of the European elections in June 2024, the possibility of lowering the minimum number of votes needed to obtain a seat from 4% to 3% is already on the agenda in Italy, thus allowing smaller parties to enter the European Parliament more easily.
Sources in the government and the left-wing opposition confirm that meetings on the issue will be held in the coming days to evaluate the options on the table and possibly take action to change the electoral law. Still, League (ID) – one of the three governing parties along with Fratelli d’Italia (ECR) and Forza Italia (EPP) – has already said it is against it.
“Changing the electoral law is not a priority, but above all, it is right that Italians choose their representatives without any helpers. Whoever has the votes gets the seat. Moreover, in theory, it would be more reasonable to raise the threshold: it would make it possible to limit the political fragmentation that makes the country weaker”, the League points out in an official note.
On the contrary, Fratelli d’Italia has “no preclusion” on the matter, an authoritative member of Meloni’s party makes known.
Joining the League’s position, however, is the party of former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, Italia Viva, which is part of President Emmanuel Macron’s Renew group in Brussels.
However, lowering the threshold would come in handy for Italia Viva, which, according to the latest SWG poll, stands at 2.8 %.
“We are not interested in palace games for the upcoming European elections. For us, the bar must remain as set by law. It is a bad custom to change the game’s rules close to electoral consultations”, Enrico Borghi, the party’s group leader in the Senate, wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Matteo Renzi, currently a senator and editor of the newspaper Il Riformista, announced on Monday his candidacy for the EU elections with a list called “The Centre”.
“I want to affirm what no one is affirming in Italy, which is that there is a need to give Europe a wake-up call, or else we will all go home. The EU is in danger of jumping”, Renzi said during a press conference in Milan to break the news.
The leader of Italia Viva also said he is “betting on a majority between the EPP and the socialists without Alternative für Deutschland, VOX or the left-wing extremists”.
The goal, then, “is to have the same majority that there was now by bringing our contribution with our family”, he added.
(Federica Pascale | EURACTIV.it)
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