Italy’s constitutional court mulls electoral law

ROME – Italy’s constitutional court began hearing challenges Tuesday to the country’s electoral law, the outcome of which could help determine when new elections are held.

The 2015 law under review governs elections for the lower, 630-seat Chamber of Deputies. Among other things it assigns a bonus to the majority party if it reaches a 40 per cent threshold.

It was adopted under the assumption that parliament’s upper Senate chamber would be reformed. Italians, however, overwhelmingly rejected the proposed Senate reforms in a Dec. 4 referendum, leading to Matteo Renzi’s resignation as premier.

Renzi’s successor, Paolo Gentiloni, is running the government until new elections can be held. Most political forces agree that a new electoral law must be passed before any vote, taking into account the constitutional court’s ruling, which is expected Wednesday.