|
|
"A comprehensive, collaborative elections resource."
|
Italy presidential battle heads into third day
|
|---|
| Parent(s) |
Race
|
| Contributor | IndyGeorgia |
| Last Edited | IndyGeorgia Jan 30, 2015 06:19pm |
| Logged |
0
|
| Category | News |
| Author | AFP |
| Media | Website - Yahoo News |
| News Date | Saturday, January 31, 2015 12:00:00 AM UTC0:0 |
| Description | Rome (AFP) - Italy's presidential election will go into a fourth and likely decisive round on Saturday more after two more inconclusive votes on Friday.
Under constitutional rules, a fourth round of voting sees the threshold for victory dropped to a simple majority in the 1,009-member electoral college, down from the two thirds required in the opening three rounds.
The fourth vote will take place on Saturday morning with the candidate of Prime Minister Matteo Renzi's ruling Democratic Party (PD) looking well placed to succeed Giorgio Napolitano as head of state.
Renzi on Thursday declared his support for Sergio Mattarella, 73, a Sicilian judge at the constitutional court who is little-known to the general public.
But he is widely respected in politics after a 25-year stint as a parliamentarian and minister with a reputation for integrity.
He is also regarded as a symbol of Italy's battle against organised crime, having entered politics after his elder brother was murdered by the Sicilian mafia.
Mattarella is expected to be able to rely on the backing of most of the 415 PD politicians in the electoral college made up of members of the two houses of parliament - the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies - and 58 representatives of the regions.
With dozens of other lawmakers closely aligned to the ruling party, the former academic will need only limited cross-bench support to get over the winning line.
But Italian presidential elections are nothing if not unpredictable. |
| Share |
|
|
2¢
|
|
| Article | Read Full Article |
|
| Date |
Category |
Headline |
Article |
Contributor |
|
|
