Chronology of ItalIan PolItical EvEnts, 2015 Compiled by Rinaldo Vignati January 2 Controversy regarding the Rome city police: 83 percent were absent due to illness on New Year’s Day. Marianna Madia, the minister of public administration, announces “disciplinary action.” 3 There is much debate caused by one clause in the fiscal decree introduced at Christmas: some believe that it may wipe clean Silvio Berlusconi’s record. 4 Government’s U-turn on the “Save Berlusconi” decree. Prime Min- ister Matteo Renzi calls for the decree to go back to the Council of Ministers. 7 The “Italicum” (which introduces a reform to the electoral system) is discuused in the Senate. In the Chamber of Deputies, Maria Elena Boschi, the minister of reforms, declares that “the imple- mentation of the new law will be postponed to 2016.” 11 Renzi, along with about 40 heads of state and of government from around the world, takes part in the march held in Paris in response to the terrorist attacks of the previous days. Center-left primaries are held in Liguria. Raffaella Paita comes out on top, but the second-place candidate, Sergio Cofferati, chal- lenges the vote, pointing to “a number of cases of rules being broken.” 13 Strasbourg: Renzi’s closing speech for Italy’s European semester: “There has been a deep change of direction.” Objections raised by the Lega Nord (LN, Northern League) and by the Movimento 5 Stelle (M5S, Five Star Movement). 14 The president of the Republic, Giorgio Napolitano, resigns. Italian Politics: Governing under Constraint 31 (2016): 1–20 © Berghahn Books doi:10.3167/ip.2016.310102 2 Chronology of Italian Political Events, 2015 15 Vanessa Marzullo and Greta Ramelli, the two aid workers kid- napped in Syria six months earlier, are freed. Dispute between the political parties over the possible payment of a ransom. 16 Paolo Gentiloni, the minister of foreign affairs, on the freeing of the kidnapped aid workers: “A great country must be committed to saving the lives of its own citizens.” LN and M5S express dis- satisfaction (“useless information”). 17 Cofferati leaves the Partito Democratico (PD, Democratic Party): “I will not found another party.” 20 The Constitutional Court rules that the referendum called for by the LN for the repeal of the Fornero law (reform of the pension system launched by the Monti government) is inadmissible. Reform of cooperative banks is approved. Among other things, this will lead to the banks being turned into joint stock companies and the abolition of voting limits. Renzi and Berlusconi meet to discuss the electoral law and reforms. Berlusconi says “yes” to the majority bonus going to the list (rather than to the coalition). 21 Vote on the Italicum: the Senate rejects the amendments proposed by the PD minority calling for the abolition of blocked heads of lists and approves the amendment of the majority enabling the roughly 38,000 amendments put forward by the League to be skipped. 22 Mario Draghi, the president of the European Central Bank, announces the go-ahead for the injection of liquidity into the markets via the purchase of bonds: “We will not stop until infla- tion is running at 2 percent.” 26 A week after the suspension imposed by the prefect on the basis of the Severino law, Vincenzo De Luca, the mayor of Salerno, is reinstated by the TAR (Regional Administrative Court). 27 The Senate approves the Italicum, although 24 senators from the PD abstain to express dissent with the party line. M5S: 9 members of Parliament announce their decision to leave the party. 28 Renzi declares that the PD candidate for the president of the Republic is to be Sergio Mattarella. Forza Italia (FI) and the Nuovo Centrodestra (NCD, New Center-Right) declare their opposition. In Emilia-Romagna, 117 persons are arrested regarding the post-earthquake bidding processes as a result of infiltration by the ‘Ndrangheta. 29 First round of voting for the election of the president of the Repub- lic: nobody reaches the quorum. Those gaining the most votes are Ferdinando Imposimato, selected by the M5S following an online ballot of its members, and Vittorio Feltri, supported by Fratelli Chronology of Italian Political Events, 2015 3 d’Italia (FdI, Brothers of Italy) and the Northern League. Antici- pating a fourth round of voting, the PD opts to cast blank ballot sheets. 31 Mattarella is elected with 665 votes, surpassing the number of the grand electors of parties officially supporting his candidacy: the PD, Sinistra Ecologia e Libertà (SEL, Left Ecology and Freedom), NCD-Unione di Centro (UdC, Union of the Center), Scelta Civica (SC, Civic Choice), and other minor parties. The FI’s member of European Parliament, Raffaele Fitto, declares that “either Berlusconi annuls everything, or we are heading toward a final showdown.” Splits also appear within the NCD: Maurizio Sacconi, the head of the NCD group in the Senate, resigns. February 3 Mattarella is sworn in: “The arbiter must be impartial. The play- ers must help him by behaving correctly.” His speech is warmly received by all the political parties. 4 The FI president’s office expresses dissatisfaction with the way in which Mattarella’s election was conducted. The party announces the end of the Nazarene pact: “We consider ourselves free to assess each situation on its own terms, without being bound by any agreements that have been reneged on by the other side.” 6 Eight parliamentarians from SC, including Stefania Giannini, the minister of education, switch to the PD. 8 SC congress: Enrico Zanetti is elected secretary. 11 Four dinghies sink in the Sicilian Channel: 300 dead. At the meeting of FI’s parliamentary groups, Berlusconi delivers an ultimatum to Fitto: “He must make up his mind—in or out.” 12 SEL calls for Angelino Alfano, the minister of the interior, to pro- vide information to the Chamber about the migrants disaster, while the M5S announces that it will propose a motion of no confidence against the minister. Constitutional reform: the obstructionist tactics of the M5S slow down the Chamber’s work, while the PD minority calls for more “flexibility.” Boschi replies: “Let us move forward without allowing vetoes to block our paths.” 13 Constitutional reforms: scuffles break out in the Chamber between deputies from the PD and SEL. Members of the opposition parties—FI, M5S, LN and SEL—walk out of the Chamber and ask to be received at the Quirinal Palace. 4 Chronology of Italian Political Events, 2015 17 Mattarella receives Renato Brunetta (FI) and the SEL delegation. However, the LN refuses to take part in the meeting. Matteo Salvini: “Why should I go? Just to ask for his hairdresser’s phone number?” 18 The feud between Fitto and Berlusconi goes on. The leader places the Puglia party branches under his direct control, appointing one of his “most loyal supporters,” Luigi Vitale, to head up the operation. 20 The Council of Ministers launches the implementation of the first decrees of the Jobs Act. Renzi calls it “a historic day, one that has been long awaited by an entire generation.” 21 Rome: meeting of the group aiming to “rebuild” FI, led by Fitto: “We were, we are, and we shall remain in FI.” 23 After three years of negotiations, Italy and Switzerland sign an agreement to end banking secrecy. 24 The Chamber definitively approves the law on the civil liability of judges. The M5S votes against it, while FI, LN, SEL, and FdI abstain. The Associazione Nazionale Magistrati (ANM, National Magistrates Association) defines it as a “law against the magistrates.” 25 The European Commission approves the law on the Italian bud- get, stating that EU rules are adhered to, even though “Italy is experiencing excessive macro-economic imbalances that require decisive political action and entail specific monitoring.” Communiqué from the Ministry of Economic Development blocks the proposed 100 percent acquisition of Rai Way by EI Tow- ers (controlled by Mediaset): “A decree in 2014 established that at least 51 percent of Rai Way should remain under RAI’s control.” 26 Pier Luigi Bersani (PD) announces his decision not to take part in the meeting of parliamentarians called by Renzi, and he criticizes the Jobs Act, calling it “unconstitutional.” The leaders of the M5S, Gianroberto Casaleggio and Beppe Grillo, are received at the Quirinal Palace. They call for “the safe- guarding of the parliamentary form of government” and speak of a “cordial and constructive meeting.” 27 The Italian-German bond yield spread falls to below 100 basis points, the lowest level since 2010. March 1 De Luca wins the PD primaries for the choice of candidate for the regional presidency in Campania. 2 The LN’s federal council confirms the candidacy of Luca Zaia at the regional elections in Veneto. It also issues an ultimatum to Chronology of Italian Political Events, 2015 5 Flavio Tosi: remaining inside the LN is “incompatible” with hav- ing created a foundation supporting his candidacy for the regional elections. 3 The Council of Ministers approves the national ultra-wideband plan and the plan for digital growth. 5 Moscow: summit between Vladimir Putin and Renzi on economic relations and the fight against terrorism. 9 The LN’s Committee for Discipline and Control, chaired by Umberto Bossi, grants Tosi an extension of 24 hours to make a decision on his candidacy. 10 The Chamber approves the constitutional reform of Title V and of the Senate (357 in favor, 125 against, 7 abstentions). Divisions are announced within the PD (Bersani says that this is his “last ‘yes’ vote” should the Italicum not be changed) and within FI (17 members state that they had voted against the reforms only out of a sense of “loyalty and affection” for Berlusconi).