Istalia

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Elections 5640: PSD wins but the era of absolute majorities is over

The new electoral system opens the doors to more pluralism with the entry of five new parties into parliament: Saragat is aiming for a progressive coalition with Communists and Greens

July 5640

ROMULA - After a feverish wait and a count that lasted many hours, Istalia woke up with a new National Congress, the sixth since the foundation of the Imperial State, and above all with an unprecedented political structure, the result of the first vote according to the new mixed electoral system. The reform, strongly desired and promoted by the Head of Government Annalisa Saragat, introduced a significant proportional component that profoundly changed parliamentary representation, opening the doors to a galaxy of new parties and breaking the traditional centrality of what have been defined as the "big four" (PSD, PNL, UOD and PNC).

The Social Democratic Party (PSD) confirms its position as the country's leading force with 179 seats, but loses the absolute majority that had characterized its political dominance until now. A bittersweet result for Annalisa Saragat, who sees the legitimacy of her reform strengthened, but at the same time finds herself facing internal discontent and new challenges in forming a government. The Prime Minister responded with determination:

We have strengthened Istalian democracy. The time of single-color parties is over: now we must build solid alliances, based on discussion and sharing ideas. The programs carried out by future governments will now be much more shared and inclusive.

The National Liberal Party (PNL) follows closely behind with 153 seats, which records significant growth, confirming itself as the main opposition force. Secretary Valeriano Giunio capitalized on the discontent of those against the reform by warning citizens of the danger of political fragmentation that can generate unstable and impotent governments, incapable of representing the authority and coherence needed in decisive moments. Fundamental to the PNL result was the conquest of the majority of the 119 seats reserved for the armed forces, traditionally sensitive to issues of order and constitutional stability and which foresee greater difficulty and complexity in maintaining relations with coalitions formed by many parties, especially with parties distant from the Armed Forces if not openly hostile to their role in the national constitutional system.

In third place is the Hosian Democratic Union (UOD) with 50 seats, but the party comes out weakened and in internal crisis: despite the numerical result, the UOD will probably find itself cut off from the government dynamics. Prime Minister Saragat, already during the electoral campaign, opened the dialogue towards ideologically more similar forces, such as the New Communist Party (PNC) and the Green Movement (MdV). With their 39 and 26 seats respectively, a coalition between PSD, PNC and MdV would reach 244 seats, guaranteeing a parliamentary majority.
Bruno Palmieri, president of the UOD, has announced his resignation, while on the horizon an extraordinary party Congress looms in which the right wing led by Marco Bellocchio could conquer the leadership marking a change of direction for the future and, in light of the new electoral dynamics, a rapprochement with the PNL and other centre-right forces.

The new parliamentary composition is completed by a series of forces that entered thanks to the proportional system: the aforementioned Green Movement (26 seats), the Citizens' Movement (13 seats), Democracy and Freedom (7), the Republican Liberal Party (5) and the Alliance of Autonomies (3). These parties, expressions of civic, autonomist and liberal-democratic positions, are the most evident testimony of the effects of the new electoral system: a more pluralistic parliament, but also potentially more fragmented.

The government that could be born under the leadership of Saragat, if founded on the PSD-PNC-Green alliance, would be the most progressive since the foundation of the Imperial State: strong attention to the environment, renewable energy, sustainable development and social policies, also in relation to the recent identification of new strategic resources in the national subsoil.

The international positioning of the future executive remains uncertain. The internal tensions within the PSD, the complexity of the reform and the tensions that emerged in the aftermath of its approval have absorbed much of the political attention in recent months, while the financial markets have reacted with cautious optimism, also encouraged by the entry into parliament of the Democracy and Freedom party, close to large industrial interests.

The Emperor will begin consultations early next week, starting of course with the PSD. Istalia is now waiting to find out if Minister Secretary of State Saragat will really succeed in transforming increased pluralism into stability and if this new act for Istalian democracy will live up to the hopes and promises.