The popular laws are not being discussed. The results of the referendums are ignored (like the ones for nuclear and public financing of parties). Parliamentarians are “appointed” by the party secretaries. The relationship between the citizen and the State has gone back to that of feudal times. Not to the laws, but to the petitions, the caprice of the Master, of a Boss(ol)i or of an Azzurro Caltagirone. They are them and we are fuck all in this papier-mâché democracy. It could even happen for the referendum about water after hearing Catricalà's words on liberalisation: “We are thinking of doing modifications that don’t go against the referendum results but we don’t want it to be an expedient.” The final frontier of antidemocracy is to deny the right to a referendum for economic reasons as has happened in Piedmont for the one on hunting. They will never give up (but is it in their interests?). Neither will we. See you in Parliament!

“Hunting is becomng the symbol of the distorted way that Italy and the political scene are handling democracy. 1987 saw the collection of more than 60 thousand signatures for the referendum on hunting in Piedmont to limit and regulate hunting activities. The questions asked citizens whether they were in favour of regulating hunting activities:
a) protection for 25 wild species that today can be hunted (17 species of birds and 8 species of mammals).
b) prohibition of hunting on land covered by snow.
c) abolition of the dispensations on the limits for each game-bag for the private game hunting companies
d) prohibition of hunting on a Sunday.
In 1988 instead of calling a referendum, the Centre-left council and majority party eliminated the law on which the referendum was about to overturn certain points. This started off a sequence of litigation lasting 24 years and involving 9 judicial decisions at different levels. In the end, with the verdict number 1896 -29-12-2010 given by Turin’s Appeal Court, the right to a referendum has been granted. But the Lega-led Council seems to have a strong connection with the hunting lobbies and is doing everything it can to liberalise hunting in the direction that is in opposition to the referendum. Thus, while we are in the Commission to analyse 6 draft laws presented by the councillors, with a sleight of hand that is legislativamente and politically “subversive” in relation to the Regulations and the prerogatives of the Council, cabinet member Saccathetto presented an amendment that repeats what happened in 1988: totally repeal l.r. 70 of 1996, the framework law relating to hunting, thus causing the collapse of all the laws proposed by the councillors, in the majority or in the minority, including the very referendum that has been awaited for so long and that in accordance with the Court’s verdict, should be taking place in the spring.
Vignale (PDL), the President of the Commission and cabinet member Sacchetto (Lega), with Cota’s input, have stated that the cost of a referendum (about 20 million euro) is too high and as it is operating a temporary budget, the Region would not have the resources. We replied that thus in 2015 we would not be able to have the regional elections given that they have a cost. Can the exercise of democracy be limited by the presumed lack of money (that is however available for advertising campaigns about the TAV)? According to us, no. For the Centre- Left and the Centre-Right, yes.” Davide Bono and Fabrizio Biolè - regional councillors MoVimento 5 Stelle Piemonte {5 Star MoVement Piedmont}

P.S. The opinion poll will close at 2:00 pm on 13 January 2012. Look at the results.