Delay in process to eject Berlusconi from parliament
(ANSA) – Rome, October 15 – The process to eject ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi from parliament after a tax-fraud conviction is set to be delayed after a Senate panel failed Tuesday to agree on whether the vote on the floor of the Upper House should be open or secret.
Members of Berlusconi’s centre-right People of Freedom (PdL) say the existing rules that state the ballot should be secret should apply.
But some lawmakers in Premier Enrico Letta’s centre-left Democratic Party (PD) and the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S) want the rules changed because they fear a secret ballot would help Berlusconi to persuade lawmakers to break their parties’ line and vote for him to keep his seat in parliament.
The panel, which recently voted to recommend the House eject Berlusconi, adjourned and will not meet again until October 29 after failing to reach an agreement.
The issue had been expected to be put to the floor of the Senate before then.
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