REFLECTIONS

A Court Ruling Hands Italy Back to the Electorate

Jan 27, 2017 | 00:50 GMT

A Court Ruling Hands Italy Back to the Electorate
In the Italian Parliament, one fewer obstacle stands in the way of an early vote.

(FRANCO ORIGLIA/Getty Images)

Italy's politicians are running out of excuses to avoid early elections. Since former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi tendered his resignation Dec. 7, the country's leaders have been at odds over whether to hold a snap vote. Those opposed to early elections cited concerns over the legality of the country's new and untested electoral law, commonly known as "Italicum," which proposes a two-round voting system. But on Wednesday, the country's Constitutional Court cleared up the matter when it issued its much-anticipated decision on the 2015 law. The court ruled the runoff system unconstitutional and decided to keep a provision of Italicum that awards bonus seats in parliament to political parties that win more than 40 percent of the vote. Now that the question of Italicum's legitimacy has been put to rest, one fewer obstacle stands in the way of an early vote. And if Italy joins Germany, France and the Netherlands...

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