Premier Giorgia Meloni said Wednesday
that her government is determined to press ahead for the swift
completion of controversial reforms of the judiciary and of the
political system, so that the head of government is directly
elected by the Italian people.
"The premiership (reform) is going ahead," Meloni told a
question time session in the Senate.
"I continue to consider it the mother of all reforms and, it
does not depend on me but on Parliament, but the majority is
intent on proceeding swiftly on this reform just as it is intent
on proceeding swiftly on the reform of justice".
Under the current system in Italy, parties engage in
government-formation talks after a general election and then the
coalition that forms a ruling majority in parliament agrees on a
figure to propose to the President of the Republic to become
premier.
That figure is not necessarily one of the politicians given by
the parties as their premier candidate during the election
campaign.
Meloni says the proposed reform to let Italians choose their
premiers directly will lead to stronger and more stable
governments in a country which has long been dogged by unstable
revolving door administrations.
The government has also presented legislation to reform the
Italian judiciary, separating magistrates' career paths so they
can no longer switch between being prosecutors and judges.
Magistrates union ANM says the plan is aimed at bringing
prosecutors under executive control.
The government says it will prevent there being overly cosy
relations between judges and prosecutors.
Both the premiership and judiciary reforms require changes to
the Constitution and, as a result, will probably require
referendums to get the all clear.
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