Rome--Italy's parliament was set Monday to approve a radical new electoral law designed to end decades of political instability by ensuring that elections always produce governments with working majorities.
The National Assembly was due to vote on a bill backed by Prime Minister Mateo Renzi in the evening with the centre-left government expected to secure a comfortable majority after winning three related confidence votes last week.
The bill, which would guarantee a majority of seats in parliament to the party that gets the most votes in an election, is seen by Renzi as central to his broader reform agenda.
But it has triggered strong opposition from political rivals who believe the youthful premier is seeking to consolidate his grip on power, and some misgivings among academics and intellectuals who fear too much power will be concentrated in the hands of the cabinet.
Renzi has rebuffed charges of a power grab, saying Italy has to move towards something similar to the two-party systems in place in many other democracies if it is to address serious and deep-rooted problems in its economy, and administrative, judicial and political systems.
"The electoral law has become a symbol. For years Italians were used to a political class that promised a lot and did nothing," Renzi said ahead of the vote.
"This time around, we said that we will reach our goals and we are doing so. If all goes well, we will be able to say that we have turned a page of utmost importance for our country," he said.
That view was endorsed by Marc Lazar, an Italy expert at Paris's elite Sciences Post graduate school.
"It is an important date for Italy. It may be the umpteenth reform of the electoral law but this one is important, which explains why the debate has been so vigorous," Lazar told AFP.
"It will give the country political stability - a major issue for Italian politics will be finally resolved."
AFP
