No Coalition Possible in the Italian Senate

Townhall.com ^ | February 26, 2013 | Mike Shedlock

[Kaslin]

La Republica confirms what we long thought highly likely: The Italian Senate is Ungovernable.

A Senate majority takes 158 seats and no party has more than 123 at the moment. The current results look like this:

Senate Seat Projections

• Bersani 104
• Berlusconi 123
• Grillo 57
• Monti 17

There are 315 total seats and the total above is only 301. Although 14 seats remain, not even a Monti-Bersani coalition in addition to those 14 seats would bring Bersani's total to 158.

Curiously, it appears Bersani received a plurality of the Senate popular vote with 32% compared to Berlusconi's 30.2%. Grillo weighs in with 23.9%, and Monti at 9.1%.

If 123-104 in favor of  Berlusconi over Bersani sounds strange, it is not unlike a presidential election in the US where one candidate wins the popular vote and another candidate wins the election based on  state-by-state electoral votes.

Chamber Comparison to US

In Italy, both houses of parliament share duties equally. In the US, financial bills originate in the House, and only the Senate has a say in approval of judges and cabinet-level positions.

"AC" writes ..."Most likely Italy will go back to vote within a couple of months, probably after changing the electoral law.

[goldstategop]

A Grand Coalition or National Unity Government is Italy’s only option. Until new elections can be held.

[1010RD]

No place is ungovernable. This is nonsense. Italy is like this and it’s a major flaw in the parliamentary system. Our system is superior in every way.

What will happen is they’ll work something out. Just like people do everywhere all the time.

[Pan_Yan]

This is what Grillo wanted. He’s been preaching a populist theme favored here as well: both parties are corrupt and their is little difference between them.

[Palio di Siena]

Ungovernable people are free people.

[1010RD]

Self-governed people are free people.