Italian Elections and Politics 2018: Yellow Tide

[RogueBeaver]

Berlusconi banned from parliament for 2 years, dunno if this thing can also be appealed.

[RogueBeaver]

Is Monti still around? Or is his party now a shipwreck?

He left his own party, which is floundering. Of course PD is in the middle of their leadership process, which won't finish till mid-December.

[RogueBeaver]

Please explain what "circles" are. Are they the party members who're now voting for those heading to the convention?

[RogueBeaver]

According to Wiki, the social democratic establishment candidate. Renzi's main left opponent, apparently. An open primary should help Renzi.

[RogueBeaver]

Speaking of the primary, no worries because he's dominating. 73% in the latest poll. Good to see PD has finally learned their lesson.

[RogueBeaver]

True, particularly if it goes to the national party assembly. Though I'd expect him to win the primary outright. Still a month to go before the process is over.

[RogueBeaver]

When is the final Berlusconi expulsion vote scheduled for?

[RogueBeaver]

That's over a third of his Senate caucus and more than 20% of his deputies, so I'd stick a fork in the centre-right for the foreseeable future since Alfano's sticking with the coalition. How long does PD want to keep the coalition going?

[RogueBeaver]

So all 4 go to the convention and primary?

[RogueBeaver]

Congrats Italians. Adult governance is back.

[RogueBeaver]

Oh sh**t, so on top of everything else a new electoral law is needed? If so, hopefully the French or German models in FPTP's guaranteed absence.

[RogueBeaver]

All the polls suggest Renzi should have an easy first ballot win.

[RogueBeaver]

 Splendid outcome for the party, and hopefully the country! So Letta remains PM till the next election, when Renzi runs as the PM candidate?

[RogueBeaver]

I'd prefer the German, French, Aussie models, ideally FPTP. But the small parties won't sign their death warrant.

[RogueBeaver]

Berlusconi wants to lead his coalition's EP list and the election to be held simultaneously w/EP.

[RogueBeaver]

Berlusconi wants to lead his coalition's EP list

So he's already forgot that he's ineligible?

Guess so. Tax fraud is tax fraud at both levels.

[RogueBeaver]

Renzi and Berlusconi have agreed on a common plank. Sounds like a good one to me, but have they stripped the Senate of its confidence power yet? Or at least have some sort of override mechanism in there like Australia and the UK?

[RogueBeaver]

Reports that Renzi may replace Letta as PM. Napolitano's met with both, but Letta has to present a coalition pact and the PD has to approve a switch Thursday.

[RogueBeaver]

Looks like Renzi has the momentum but it'll be messy.

[RogueBeaver]

Have the other parties in the coalition indicated whether they'd vote for confidence in Renzi?

Presumably, since G-Nap is deadest against an election.

[RogueBeaver]

PD central committee backs Renzi 152-13 with 16 abstentions. So presumably now Letta heads to the Quirinale and asks Napolitano to send for Renzi.

[RogueBeaver]

PMO: Letta will hand in his resignation tomorrow.

[RogueBeaver]

Renzi will be bringing in a bunch of younger ministers, plus some businesspeople.

[RogueBeaver]

100-day agenda. Sounds familiar.

[RogueBeaver]

Anything about the Senate in there? Either abolition or reducing its power?