REFERENDUM FLOP
The 50% plus 1 quorum was not reached.
Only 32% of voters went to the polls, that is two Italians out of three did not vote on the seven referenda, the most important of which was the one on the electoral law where voters had to express their preference between the proportional and the majoritarian system.
Center-right leader Berlusconi who had encouraged Italians to desert the polls claims victory and demands a government of technicians to give rise to the German model.
The Radicals who had promoted the referenda feel defeated and want to abolish the quorum and accuse Berlusconi of being irresponsible. They believe, however, that this does not mark the end of referendum as a means of voicing the people's ideas on political, economic, legal and social issues.
Communist leader Bertinotti, in perfect agreement with Berlusconi on the electoral law, speaks of an " earthquake affecting all the political forces" and criticizes Ds leader Veltroni claiming that his" strategy is a complete failure".
Ppi, UDEUR and unionist D'Antoni want the reform of the electoral law immediately and Premier Amato is preparing an initiative that will bring new rules to be approved by Parliament before the political elections scheduled next year.
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