2008 Italian general election explained

Election Name:2008 Italian general election
Country:Italy
Type:parliamentary
Vote Type:Popular
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2006 Italian general election
Previous Year:2006
Outgoing Members:Legislature XV of Italy
Next Election:2013 Italian general election
Next Year:2013
Elected Members:Legislature XVI of Italy
Seats For Election:All 630 seats in the Chamber of Deputies316 seats needed for a majorityAll 315 elective seats in the Senate162 seats needed for a majority
Opinion Polls:Opinion polling for the 2008 Italian general election
Election Date:13–14 April 2008
Registered:47,041,814 42,358,775
Turnout:37,874,569 80.5% (3.1 pp)
34,058,406 80.4% (3.1 pp)
Leader1:Silvio Berlusconi
Leader Since1:18 January 1994
Party1:The People of Freedom
Color1:0A6BE1
Leaders Seat1:Molise
Seats1:344 / 174
Seat Change1:102 / 29
Popular Vote1:17,403,145
15,508,899
Percentage1:46.8%
47.3%
Swing1:2.9 pp
2.9 pp
Leader2:Walter Veltroni
Party2:Democratic Party (Italy)
Alliance2:Centre-left
Color2:EF3E3E
Leader Since2:14 October 2007
Leaders Seat2:Lazio 1
Seats2:246 / 134
Seat Change2:3 / 21
Popular Vote2:14,099,747
12,457,182
Percentage2:37.5%
38.0%
Swing2:12.3 pp
11.0 pp
Leader3:Pier Ferdinando Casini
Party3:Union of the Centre (2002)
Alliance3:
Color3:87CEFA
Leader Since3:18 January 1994
Leaders Seat3:Liguria
Seats3:36 / 3
Seat Change3:3 / 18
Popular Vote3:2,050,309
1,866,356
Percentage3:5.6%
5.7%
Swing3:1.1 pp
1.0 pp
Prime Minister
Posttitle:Prime Minister after the election
Before Election:Roman
Before Party:Democratic Party (Italy)
After Election:Silvio Berlusconi
After Party:The People of Freedom

A snap election was held in Italy on 13–14 April 2008.[1] The election came after President Giorgio Napolitano dissolved the Italian Parliament on 6 February 2008, following the defeat of the government of Prime Minister Romano Prodi in a January 2008 Senate vote of confidence[2] and the unsuccessful tentative appointment of Franco Marini with the aim to change the current electoral law. Under Italian law, elections must be held within 70 days of the dissolution. The voting determined the leader of Italy's 62nd government since the end of World War II.[3] The coalition led by ex-Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi from The People of Freedom party defeated that of former Mayor of Rome, Walter Veltroni of the Democratic Party.[4]

Background

See main article: 2008 Italian political crisis. On 24 January 2008 Prime Minister of Italy Romano Prodi lost a vote of confidence in the Senate by a vote of 161 to 156 votes, causing the downfall of his government.[5] Prodi's resignation led President Giorgio Napolitano to request the president of the Senate, Franco Marini, to assess the possibility to form a caretaker government. The other possibility would have been to call for early elections immediately.

The decision of former Minister of Justice Mastella arrived a few days after the confirmation of the Constitutional Court which confirmed the referendum to modify the electoral system.[6] As stated many times by Minister Mastella, if the referendum would have been confirmed this would have led directly to the fall of the government[7] [8] and it happened.
The fall of the government would disrupt a pending election-law referendum that if passed would make it harder for small parties like Mastella's to gain seats in parliament.[9]

UDEUR's defection forced the question of whether Prodi still had the parliamentarian support to govern. Presenting a motion of confidence to parliament, he won relatively easily in the lower house of the Italian Parliament, the Chamber of Deputies, where the coalition's majority was substantial.[10] Yet a win in the upper house – or Senate – seemed unlikely, and President Giorgio Napolitano was said to have warned against going through with the vote.

The vote, held between 3pm and 9pm (CET), was heated and dramatic.[11] During its course the UDEUR party Senator Stefano Cusumano decided to confirm the confidence and to support the prime minister, even against the orders of his party's leader. He was subsequently subjected to the abuse of his colleagues, being called an "hysteric faggot", "traitor", and reportedly spat on by a member of the conservative UDEUR party. At this point Cusumano apparently fainted, and was carried out on a stretcher.[12] Cusumano's defection had no effect, however: Prodi lost the vote with 161 to 156 votes (one member abstained from voting, while three were absent), and promptly handed in his resignation.

On 30 January, Napolitano appointed Franco Marini to try to form a caretaker government with the goal of changing the current electoral system, rather than call a quick election.[13] The state of the electoral system had been under criticism not only within the outgoing government, but also among the opposition and in the general population, because of the impossibility to choose candidates directly and of the risks that a close-call election may not grant a stable majority in the Senate.

On 4 February 2008 Marini acknowledged that he had failed to find the necessary majority for an interim government,[14] and resigned his mandate,[15] after having met with all major political forces and having found opposition to forming an interim government mainly from center-right parties Forza Italia and National Alliance, favoured in a possible next election and strongly in favour of an early vote.,[16]

President Napolitano summoned Bertinotti and Marini, the two speakers of the houses of the Italian parliament, acknowledging the end of the legislature, on 5 February 2008.[17] He dissolved parliament on 6 February 2008.

Campaign

Major competitors in the election were Silvio Berlusconi, as leader of the centre-right opposition coalition, and Walter Veltroni, leader of the Democratic Party. Berlusconi's right coalition was leading by a significant margin in opinion polls.[18] The 71-year-old Berlusconi, who was twice prime minister—from May 1994 to January 1995 and again from May 2001 to May 2006—was not considered too old for the job though he had had heart surgery since leaving office.[19]

Veltroni's campaign has been compared to Barack Obama's presidential run in the United States. The most apparent of the similarities is his slogan, "Si può fare" (literally, "it can be done").[19]

Following the calling of the election, Veltroni stated his party will not make any alliance in either Chamber, choosing instead to run alone with its own platform, and challenged Berlusconi to do likewise with his Forza Italia party. The main four left-wing parties not part of the PD decided to contest the election together under the banner of The Left – The Rainbow. On 8 February, Berlusconi announced Forza Italia and Gianfranco Fini's National Alliance will run together under the common symbol of The People of Freedom, being regionally allied with the Northern League.[20]

On 13 February, Veltroni announced to have reached an agreement with the Italy of Values, led by Antonio Di Pietro, which agreed for an electoral alliance with the Democratic Party, accepting also to join the Democratic Party parliamentary groups after the election.[21] On 21 February the Italian Radicals announced an agreement with the Democratic Party, accepting to present themselves in list with the latter, under the agreement they will have nine MPs elected in the Parliament, and appointment of Emma Bonino as Minister in case of victory.[22]

Though Berlusconi and Veltroni were in opposite parties, they allegedly represent such similar policies that they were dubbed "Veltrusconi". Both candidates supported big tax cuts and generous spending programs.[19]

The Union of Christian and Centre Democrats was invited to support Berlusconi, but refused and decided to run on its own instead. The Rose for Italy originally planned to run alone with Bruno Tabacci as their PM candidate, but shortly before the filing deadline, they decided to form joint lists with the UDC.

Electoral system

The electoral system had been last reformed by Law no. 270, 21 December 2005.[23]

Chamber of Deputies

For the election of the lower house,[24] all seats in the Chamber of Deputies (excluding one deputy for the region of Aosta Valley and twelve deputies for Italians residing abroad) are allocated based on the national vote in a form of party-list proportional representation with a series of thresholds to encourage parties to form coalitions. Voters cast one vote for a closed list, meaning they cannot express a preference for individual candidates.

Parties can choose to run in coalitions. Seats are first allocated based on coalition votes, then divided among parties belonging to the same coalition by the largest remainder method. To guarantee a working majority, the coalition or party that obtains a plurality of the vote, but fewer than 340 seats, is assigned additional seats to reach that number, which is roughly 54% of all seats.

The autonomous region of Aosta Valley elects one deputy through a first-past-the-post system. Italians abroad are divided into four constituencies, which elect a total of twelve seats based on proportional representation.

Senate

For the election of the upper house,[24] a similar system is used. However, the results are based on regional, rather than national, vote. This means the coalition or party that wins a plurality of votes in each region is guaranteed a majority of the seats assigned to that region. As this mechanism is region-based, opposing parties or coalitions may benefit from the majority bonus in different regions. It therefore does not guarantee any party or coalition a majority in the Senate.

Three regions have exceptions to the system detailed above. In the region of Molise, that is granted two seats in the Senate, seats are allocated proportionally, with no majority bonus. The region of Aosta Valley, which elects one senator, uses a first-past-the-post system. Finally, the region of Trentino-South Tyrol elects seven senators with a mixed-member proportional system: six senators are elected in six single-member constituencies, while the seventh is allocated to the most underrepresented list based on the regional votes.

Six seats in the Senate are assigned to Italians living abroad and are allocated using the same system used for the Chamber of Deputies.

Main coalitions and parties

CoalitionPartyMain ideologySeats Party leaderCoalition leader
Centre-right coalitionThe People of Freedom (PdL)Liberal conservatismSilvio BerlusconiSilvio Berlusconi
Northern League (LN)RegionalismUmberto Bossi
Movement for Autonomy (MpA)RegionalismRaffaele Lombardo
Centre-left coalitionDemocratic Party (PD)Social democracyWalter VeltroniWalter Veltroni
Italy of Values (IdV)Anti-corruption politicsAntonio Di Pietro
The Left – The Rainbow (SA)Communism, democratic socialismFausto Bertinotti
Union of the Centre (UdC)Christian democracyPier Ferdinando Casini
Socialist Party (PS)Social democracyEnrico Boselli
The Right – Tricolour Flame (LD–FT)Neo-fascismDaniela Santanchè

Opinion polls

See main article: Opinion polling for the 2008 Italian general election.

Results

Chamber of Deputies

Overall results

align=left colspan=2 rowspan=2CoalitionPartyItaly (19 regions)Aosta ValleyOverseasalign=left rowspan=2Total
seats
align=left rowspan=2+/–
Votes % SeatsVotes % SeatsVotes % Seats
Centre-right coalitionThe People of Freedom13,629,46437.3827213,88018.520322,43730.904276+60
Northern League3,024,5438.30602,3223.10060+34
Movement for Autonomy410,4991.1388
Centre-left coalitionDemocratic Party12,095,30633.18211338,95432.486217−9
Italy of Values1,594,0244.372842,1494.04129+12
Union of the Centre2,050,2295.623688,0178.43036−3
South Tyrolean People's Party147,7180.4122−2
29,31439.121 1±0
Associative Movement of Italians Abroad86,9708.3311New
Others3,505,4989.61029,42339.260164,99115.8200
Total36,457,25410061774,93910011,043,51810012630±0

Italy (except Aosta Valley)

CoalitionPartyVotes%Seats
Centre-right coalitionThe People of Freedom (PdL)13,629,46437.38272
Northern League (LN)3,024,5438.30 60
Movement for Autonomy (MpA)410,4991.138
Total17,064,50646.81340
Centre-left coalitionDemocratic Party (PD)12,095,30633.18211
Italy of Values (IdV)1,594,0244.3728
Total13,689,30337.55239
Union of the Centre (UdC)2,050,2295.6236
The Left – The Rainbow (SA)1,124,2983.080
The Right – Tricolour Flame (LD–FT)884,9612.430
Socialist Party (PS)355,4950.980
Workers' Communist Party (PCL)208,2960.570
Critical Left (SC)168,9160.460
South Tyrolean People's Party (SVP)147,7180.412
Association for Defense of Life 135,5350.370
For the Common Good (PBC)119,5690.330
New Force (FN)109,6990.300
Italian Liberal Party (PLI)104,0530.290
Democratic Union for Consumers (UDpC)91,1060.250
List of Talking Crickets (No EuroLega Padana–others)66,8350.180
Venetian Republic League (LVR)31,3530.090
Die Freiheitlichen (DF)28,3400.080
European Movement Disabled Persons (MEDA)16,4830.050
Sardinian Action Party (PSd'Az)14,8600.040
League for Autonomy – Lombard Alliance (LAL)13,9920.040
Union for South Tyrol (UfS)12,9810.040
Sardigna Natzione Indipendentzia (SNI)7,1760.020
Southern League Ausonia (LSA)4,3990.010
Venetian Agreement (IV)2,3880.010
Communist Alternative Party (PdAC)1,9930.010
The Lotus1,7970.000
Thought and Action Party (PPA)9460.000
Total36,457,254100.00617

Results by region (except Aosta Valley)

RegionCentre-right CoalitionCentre-left CoalitionUnion of the CentreThe Left – The RainbowThe Right – Tricolour FlameOthers
Abruzzo43.240.55.93.23.24.0
Apulia47.435.68.03.02.13.9
Basilicata37.644.56.93.52.35.2
Calabria43.836.28.23.22.26.4
Campania51.533.96.52.71.63.8
Emilia-Romagna36.450.04.33.02.53.8
Friuli-Venezia Giulia47.835.76.03.13.04.4
Lazio43.740.94.83.33.43.9
Liguria43.642.53.83.72.73.7
Lombardy55.132.14.32.92.13.5
Marche37.245.96.03.03.44.5
Molise41.845.65.81.91.73.2
Piedmont47.037.45.23.43.23.8
Sardinia43.040.06.63.61.55.3
Sicily54.328.89.42.62.02.9
Trentino-Alto Adige30.427.84.23.12.032.5
Tuscany33.650.34.24.52.94.5
Umbria36.147.44.53.53.64.9
Veneto54.430.85.62.22.05.0

Aosta Valley

The autonomous region of Aosta Valley, in northwestern Italy, elects one member to the Chamber of Deputies through a direct first-past-the-post election. Some parties that formed electoral coalitions in Italy, might have opted to run against one another (or form different coalitions) in this particular region.

PartyVotes%Seats
Autonomy Liberty Democracy (ALD)29,31439.121
Aosta Valley (UV-SA-FA)28,35737.840
The People of Freedom (PdL)13,88018.520
Northern League (LN)2,3223.100
Social Action (AS)1,0661.420
Total74,939100.001

Overseas constituencies

Twelve members of the Chamber of Deputies are elected by Italians abroad. Two members are elected for North America and Central America (including most of the Caribbean), three members for South America (including Trinidad and Tobago), six members for Europe, and one member for the rest of the world (Africa, Asia, Oceania, and Antarctica). Voters in these regions select candidate lists and may also cast a preference vote for individual candidates. The seats are allocated by proportional representation.

The electoral law allows for parties to form different coalitions on the lists abroad, compared to the lists in Italy.

PartyVotes%Seats
Democratic Party (PD)338,95432.486
The People of Freedom (PdL)322,43730.904
Union of the Centre (UdC)88,0178.430
Associative Movement of Italians Abroad (MAIE)86,9708.331
Italian Associations in South America (AISA)64,3256.160
Italy of Values (IdV)42,1494.041
Socialist Party (PS)32,5133.120
The Left – The Rainbow (SA)28,4952.730
The Right – Tricolour Flame (LD–FT)14,9741.430
The Other Sicily (LAS)9,2510.890
Critical Left (SC)6,0620.580
Italian Civic Consumers (CCI)4,8780.470
Values and Future (VF)4,4930.430
Total1,043,518100.0012

Distribution of seats

Senate of the Republic

Overall results

align=left colspan=2 rowspan=2CoalitionPartyItaly (18 regions)Aosta ValleyTrentino-Alto AdigeOverseasalign=left rowspan=2Total
seats
align=left rowspan=2+/–
Votes % SeatsVotes % SeatsVotes % Seats Votes % Seats
Centre-right coalitionThe People of Freedom12,511,25838.1714112,16717.250156,12628.183322,69833.863147+26
Northern League2,642,2808.06252,0812.95025+11
Movement for Autonomy355,3611.0822
Centre-left coalitionDemocratic Party11,042,45233.6911619,2533.480274,73230.702118+10
Italy of Values1,414,7304.321438,3574.02014+10
South Tyrolean People's Party252,66945.6144+1
Union of the Centre1,866,3565.69332,5115.87057,8176.0703−18
Aosta Valley29,19141.3911+1
72,5117.6111New
Others2,941,9028.98027,15138.41093,38016.860187,02917.7400
Total32,774,33910030170,5201001553,9391007953,1441006315±0

Italy (except Aosta Valley and Trentino-Alto Adige)

CoalitionPartyVotes%Seats
Centre-right coalitionThe People of Freedom (PdL)12,511,25838.17141
Northern League (LN)2,642,2808.06 25
Movement for Autonomy (MpA)355,3611.082
Total15,508,89947.32168
Centre-left coalitionDemocratic Party (PD)11,042,45233.69116
Italy of Values (IdV)1,414,7304.3214
Total12,457,18238.01130
Union of the Centre (UdC)1,866,3565.693
The Left – The Rainbow (SA)1,053,2283.210
The Right – Tricolour Flame (LD–FT)686,9262.100
Socialist Party (PS)284,8370.870
Workers' Communist Party (PCL)180,4420.550
Critical Left (SC)136,6790.420
For the Common Good (PBC)105,8270.320
Italian Liberal Party (PLI)100,7590.310
New Force (FN)85,5640.260
Democratic Union for Consumers (UDpC)78,1390.240
List of Talking Crickets (No EuroLega Padana–others)49,5350.150
Venetian Republic League (LVR)47,6470.150
League for Autonomy – Lombard Alliance (LAL)45,6230.140
European Movement Disabled Persons (MEDA)19,8990.060
Sardinian Action Party (PSd'Az)15,2800.050
United Populars (PU)12,3890.040
Marxist–Leninist Italian Communist Party (PCIM-L)8,0940.020
Southern League Ausonia (LSA)7,1090.020
Sardigna Natzione Indipendentzia (SNI)6,9720.020
Independentist Front Lombardy (FIL)5,2340.020
Venetian Agreement (IV)4,6000.010
Party of the South (PdS)3,7270.010
Free South1,7950.010
Thought and Action Party (PPA)1,5970.000
Total32,774,339100.00301

Aosta Valley

PartyVotes%Seats
Aosta Valley (UV-SA-FA)29,19141.391
Autonomy Liberty Democracy (ALD)26,37737.400
The People of Freedom (PdL)12,16717.250
Northern League (LN)2,0812.950
Social Action (AS)7121.010
Total70,520 100.001

Trentino-Alto Adige/South Tyrol

PartyVotes%Seats
The People of Freedom (PdL)156,12628.183
SVP - Together for the Autonomies 153,72127.752
South Tyrolean People's Party (SVP)98,94817.862
The Left – The Rainbow (SA)39,9577.210
Union of the Centre (UdC)32,5115.870
Die Freiheitlichen (DF)24,7724.470
Democratic Party (PD)19,2533.480
The Right – Tricolour Flame (LD–FT)16,4622.970
Union for South Tyrol (UfS)11,8202.130
Socialist Party (PS)3690.070
Total553,939100.007

Overseas constituencies

PartyVotes%Seats
The People of Freedom (PdL)322,69833.863
Democratic Party (PD)314,70333.022
Associative Movement of Italians Abroad (MAIE)72,5117.611
Italian Associations in South America (AISA)60,7946.380
Union of the Centre (UdC)57,8176.070
Italy of Values (IdV)38,3574.020
Socialist Party (PS)28,1492.950
The Left - The Rainbow (SA)27,0672.840
The Right – Tricolour Flame (LD–FT)13,1391.380
The Other Sicily (LAS)8,3910.880
Critical Left (SC)5,8550.610
Italian Civic Consumers (CCI)3,6630.380
Total953,144100.006

Seats by region

RegionCoalitionsMajority bonus
winner
Senators
Centre-right coalitionCentre-left coalitionUnion of the CentreOthers

Lombardy
19 (PdL)
11 (LN)
15 (PD)
2 (IdV)
CDX47

Campania
18 (PdL)10 (PD)
2 (IdV)
CDX30

Lazio
15 (PdL)11 (PD)
1 (IdV)
CDX27

Sicily
13 (PdL)
2 (MpA)
7 (PD)
1 (IdV)
3 (UdC)CDX26

Veneto
8 (PdL)
7 (LN)
8 (PD)
1 (IdV)
CDX24

Piedmont
10 (PdL)
3 (LN)
8 (PD)
1 (IdV)
CDX22

Emilia-Romagna
7 (PdL)
2 (LN)
11 (PD)
1 (IdV)
CSX21

Apulia
12 (PdL)8 (PD)
1 (IdV)
CDX21

Tuscany
7 (PdL)10 (PD)
1 (IdV)
CSX18

Calabria
6 (PdL)4 (PD)CDX10

Sardinia
5 (PdL)4 (PD)CDX9

Liguria
4 (PdL)
1 (LN)
3 (PD)CDX8

Marche
3 (PdL)5 (PD)CSX8

Abruzzo
4 (PdL)2 (PD)
1 (IdV)
CDX7

Friuli-Venezia Giulia
3 (PdL)
1 (LN)
3 (PD)CDX7

Trentino-South Tyrol
3 (PdL)2 (SVP - IpA)
2 (SVP)
N/A7

Umbria
3 (PdL)4 (PD)CSX7

Basilicata
3 (PdL)3 (PD)
1 (IdV)
CSX7

Molise
1 (PdL)1 (PD)N/A2

Aosta Valley
1 (VA)N/A1
Italians abroad3 (PdL)2 (PD)1 (MAIE)N/A6
Total17413235315

Map

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Bloomberg.com . Italy's President Dissolves Parliament, Forces Vote . 8 February 2008 . 6 February 2008.
  2. News: BBC News. 6 February 2008. 6 February 2008. Italy to hold snap April election.
  3. Web site: Berlusconi plans Naples clean-up . BBC News. 15 April 2008.
  4. Web site: Berlusconi declares election win . BBC News. 14 April 2008.
  5. Web site: Prodi loses crucial Senate vote . . 2008-01-24 . 2008-01-24. https://web.archive.org/web/20080127160315/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7208000.stm. 27 January 2008 . live.
  6. https://www.reuters.com/article/bondsNews/idUSL1685828620080116 "Italian court okays referendum on election law"
  7. http://www.corriere.it/Primo_Piano/Politica/2007/04_Aprile/10/legge_elettorale_mastella_referendum.shtml "Legge elettorale, Mastella minaccia la crisi"
  8. http://www.lastampa.it/redazione/cmsSezioni/politica/200704articoli/20302girata.asp "Mastella: Se c'è referendum si rischia la crisi di governo"
  9. https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aEv_XkZP2lg0 "Prodi Likely to Quit, Prompt Vote or Election Reform"
  10. Web site: Italy Backs Its Coalition but Only Just for Now . . Ian Fisher . 2008-01-24 . 2008-01-24.
  11. Web site: Prodi sconfitto in Senato: cade il governo, Il premier al Quirinale per le dimissioni . . 2008-01-24 . 2008-01-24. https://web.archive.org/web/20080125083737/http://www.corriere.it/politica/08_gennaio_24/mussi_elezioni_anticipate_0aa4638e-ca5c-11dc-bbdc-0003ba99c667.shtml. 25 January 2008 . live. it.
  12. Web site: Cusumano si dissocia: voto sì. È bagarre . . 2008-01-24 . 2008-01-24. https://web.archive.org/web/20080127090940/http://www.corriere.it/politica/08_gennaio_24/cusumano_nuccio_udeur_02cef526-ca8d-11dc-bbdc-0003ba99c667.shtml. 27 January 2008 . live. it.
  13. Web site: Crisi, Napolitano incarica Marini . . 2008-01-30 . 2008-01-30. https://web.archive.org/web/20080131081433/http://www.corriere.it/politica/08_gennaio_30/casini_no_marini_6ef4ecdc-cf16-11dc-8e3f-0003ba99c667.shtml. 31 January 2008 . live. it.
  14. http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/world/20080204-1053-italy-government-.html SignOnSanDiego.com > News > World - Italy Senate speaker fails to form govt, vote looms
  15. http://www.hemscott.com/news/latest-news/item.do?newsId=58999966030362 Italy's Marini says no majority for electoral reform govt, resigns mandate | Latest News | News | Hemscott
  16. Web site: "A Marini diremo: "subito al voto"" . . 2008-01-30 . 2008-01-30. https://web.archive.org/web/20080203113620/http://www.corriere.it/politica/08_gennaio_30/berlusconi_subito_voto_legge_elettorale_non_va_cambiata_f651eab4-cf5b-11dc-8e3f-0003ba99c667.shtml. 3 February 2008 . live. it.
  17. Web site: DOMANI LO SCIOGLIMENTO DELLE CAMERE . ansa.it . . 2008-02-05 . 2008-02-05 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080204214404/http://www.ansa.it/opencms/export/site/visualizza_fdg.html_12342748.html . 2008-02-04. it.
  18. News: The New York Times . With Flawed System Unchanged, Italy Sets Elections for April . 7 February 2008 . 8 February 2008 . Elisabeth Rosenthal.
  19. News: CNN . Italy faces second day of voting . 14 April 2008 . 14 April 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080415105238/http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/04/14/italy.election/index.html . 15 April 2008.
  20. News: Berlusconi: "Simbolo unico per Fi e An" . Corriere della Sera . it . 8 February 2008 . 8 February 2008.
  21. News: Pd: accordo Di Pietro, Veltroni . ANSA.it . 13 February 2008 . 21 February 2008 . it .
  22. News: I Radicali dicono sì al Pd: 9 seggi e Bonino ministro . L'Unità . 21 February 2008 . 21 February 2008 . it .
  23. Web site: L 270/2005.
  24. Web site: senato.it - Il Senato nel sistema bicamerale - La normativa vigente dopo la legge n. 270 del 2005 . 14 December 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161220082840/http://www.senato.it/Leg17/1013?testo_generico=4&voce_sommario=58 . 20 December 2016 . dead.