Italian politicians have backed a radical overhaul of the country’s parliament that will see around a third of them losing their job.
The long-awaited reform, overwhelmingly approved by the country’s lower house, will see the total number of lawmakers slashed by about a third, from 945 to 600.
The reduction was a flagship proposal of the anti-establishment 5-Stars, which in August forged an uneasy ruling coalition with the country’s center-left Democrats.
“For the first time we have seen lawmakers cutting their own seats,” said 5-Star leader Luigi Di Maio.
Italy’s Premier Giuseppe Conte hailed the decision as “a historic day for Italy.”
Since their birth, the 5-Stars have pledged to tackle wasteful spending and say the cut will deliver savings of around 300,000 euros ($330,000) a day.
Critics say it’s a tiny saving in the grand scheme of things. Italy’s overall debt stands at around 130% of its annual GDP. Only Greece’s debt burden is higher among the 19 European Union countries that use the euro currency.
They also warn that cutting the chambers’ size could end up hindering democratic representation.
The overhaul, which was voted by both the ruling parties and most of the opposition, could still be challenged in a referendum, with opponents warning that it could favor powerful lobbies, giving them a stronger influence on a slimmer parliament.
