Salvini wants the provinces back by 2024, but there are doubts even in the majority
Constitutional reforms, autonomy, return of the provinces and powers to Rome as the capital: these are somehow linked dossiers that will be on the government and majority table when parliamentary work resumes. Among these is precisely the text of the bill relaunched by Salvini and arrived at the first Senate Commission after consideration by the Committee narrowed down and approved by a majority, to risk the impasse more. Today it is the leader of the League who is asking for a sprint: “They ask me to reintroduce the Provinces. As secretary of the League I am overwhelmingly convinced of this. The Provinces – said the deputy prime minister and Minister of Transport and Infrastructure – are used for schools and roads and it is a battle that I hope to lead to success We need to go back to direct elections, with skills, direct choice of citizens and money because otherwise provincial roads and high schools, which must be managed by the Provinces, without money and without personnel have no maintenance “. And again: “If they returned as early as 2024 – it would be a sign of efficiency”.
The major node is the electoral law. At the moment it is decided to act through a transitional rule that provides for single provincial constituencies, but on the system to be adopted there is a gap between the political forces that support the executive and the opposition but also within the majority itself. Fdi presented an amendment, signed by the president of the Balboni Commission, to opt for the ‘Provincellum’ while the League is betting on a regional model with smaller constituencies. But in the background, the slowdown on the dossier (there was an acceleration in February with the presentation by the parliamentary forces of bills signed by Fi, Fdi, Lega and Pd) is mainly linked to financial reasons. “Beyond skills, resources are also needed,” says a parliamentary source who is carrying out the work at Palazzo Madama. The government took time and the issue was also addressed during the summit held in Palazzo Chigi between Prime Minister Meloni, the Deputy Prime Ministers and the group leaders of the majority. Forza Italia is on the positions of the Via Bellerio party. “They can be done immediately”, the ‘refrain’.
“We were the first – says a member of the force – to present a proposal. The provinces are needed, there is a lack of interlocutors in the area who can deal with schools, roads, training”. In the meantime, it is a matter of timing. “Because – observes another source – if the Ministry of the Interior were given a mandate to design the constituencies, at least another year would go by”. The perspective is actually this. The process of the text that “redesigns the discipline regarding the fundamental functions of government bodies, and the electoral system of the Provinces and Metropolitan Cities, and other provisions relating to Local Authorities” will hardly see the light before mid-2024. It will lose , therefore, unless a change of pace, the train for the Europeans.
But within the majority it is argued that a timetable will be set in September which could allow sharing on the entire reform package. The push could therefore come from an overall understanding, therefore. Starting with the autonomy with the Via Bellerio party that wants the green light before the European elections to be able to use the battle in the electoral campaign. “The League has convinced itself of the need to focus on the premiership – reports an Fdi source -, now it will be easier to find an agreement on everything”. Also on the return of the provinces with Fdi which has slowed down so far. “Because things have to be done well,” says a senator from the Brothers of Italy.
With regard to the bill in the Senate Commission, in article 6 it is expected that “the President of the Province” he is elected “by universal and direct suffrage, at the same time as the Provincial Council”. Among the novelties is the return of direct elections and the reinstatement of provincial governments. The President of the Province will be “the candidate for the office who obtains the highest number of votes, provided that they correspond to at least 40 percent of the valid votes. In the event of a tie, the oldest candidate is proclaimed”. If no candidate fulfills these conditions, a run-off is held, to be held two weeks after the first round. The Provincial Council is elected by universal and direct suffrage, together with the President of the Province. “The electoral district, coinciding with the provincial territory, is divided into plurinominal constituencies which, as a rule, are assigned a number of seats not less than three and not more than eight”. A 3% barrier is expected.
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