Italian Republic: Referendum, 4 December 2016

At stake in this election:

• This referendum will determine if voters support proposed changes to the constitution.

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: Sergio MATTARELLA (since 3 February 2015)
• Head of Government: Prime Minister Matteo RENZI (since 22 February 2014)
• Assembly: Italy has a bicameral Parlamento (Parliament) consisting of the Senato della Repubblica (Senate) with 322 seats and the Camera dei Deputati (Chamber of Deputies) with 630 seats.

Electoral requirements:

• The referendum requires a majority of all registered voters. To pass, the referendum must receive a majority of valid votes in favor.

About the referendum:

• This referendum includes several proposed reforms.
  • One proposed change is a smaller Senate, consisting of 100 members.
  • Another proposed change is to change the legislative procedure by differentiating between a unicameral and bicameral procedure. Only certain matters will require a bicameral procedure to pass.
  • It also proposes to do away with the National Council on Economy and Labour (CNEL).

Main provisions in the referendum:

• "Do you approve the constitutional bill concerning the dispositions to overcome the perfect bicameralism, the reduction of the number of members of the Parliament, the restraint of the institutions' operating costs, the abolition of CNEL and the revision of Titolo V of the 2nd part of the Constitution, which was approved by the Parliament and published on the Gazzetta Ufficiale n. 88, on April 15, 2016?"

Population and number of registered voters:

·         Population: 62,007,540 (July 2016 est.)

·         Registered Voters: 50,675,406 (2016)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 32,116,976 (July 2016 est.)

·         Is Italy a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (17 July 1980)

·         Has Italy ratified CEDAW: Yes (10 June 1985)

·         Gender Quota: No

·         Female candidates in this election: N/A

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 289 (30.36%)[1]

·         Human Development Index Position: 27

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: Very Low

Disability Data:

·         Is Italy a signatory to CRPD: Yes (30 March 2007)

·         Has Italy ratified CRPD: Yes (15 May 2009)

·         Population with a disability: 9,301,131 (est.)