Chambers, groups, commissions and government: this is the busy schedule of the 19th legislature
Who will chair the first session
In all likelihood it will be up to the life senator Liliana Segre to preside over the first session at Palazzo Madama, while in Montecitorio it will be the turn of the “Renziano” Ettore Rosato, one of the outgoing vice-presidents of the Chamber. To determine who is responsible for presiding over the first session are the regulations of the two houses of Parliament. In Montecitorio this role is assigned to the eldest by election among the vice-presidents of the previous legislature (precisely Rosato). In the Senate the role is provisionally attributed to the oldest in age, who would be the president emeritus Giorgio Napolitano. A function that Napolitano himself has already exercised at the start of the XVIII legislature. But the health conditions of the former President of the Republic make it very probable that the baton will be handed over to Senator for life Segre. The two provisional presidents will proclaim the elect.
The vice-presidents of the Chamber and Senate
Immediately after the election of the two presidents of the chambers, the election of four vice-presidents, three Quaestors and eight secretaries who form the office of the Presidency takes place. If, as is probable, the presidents will be in office by 14 October, this "operation" should be concluded, at the latest, between Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 October.
Between 16 and 17 October the new group leaders
Within two days of the first session, the deputies are called to declare to the secretary general of the Chamber the parliamentary group they belong to, while for the senators the time span available is 72 hours (three days). In Montecitorio, as mentioned, the regulation has remained unchanged and therefore, despite the reduction in parliamentarians, a minimum number of 20 deputies continues to be required to form a Group. In the Senate, on the other hand, where the “target” was 10, as a result of the reform of the regulation the threshold has dropped to six senators. No later than the fourth day after the first session (by Monday 17 October), the president of the Chamber calls the simultaneous but separate convocations of the deputies belonging to each parliamentary group and of those to be enrolled in the Mixed Group to proceed with the election of the respective group leaders. .
At Palazzo Madama, the new regulation provides that the Groups are convened for the election of their president "within seven days of the first session" (by Thursday 20 October). The emergency situation that the country is experiencing, due to the energy crisis and the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, would require political forces to minimize these procedures. It is presumable, also on the basis of what has been announced by the political forces themselves, that the presidents of the individual parliamentary groups will all be appointed between Sunday 16 and Monday 17 October.
Confidence in the new government by 25-26 October
With the appointment of the group leaders, the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, will immediately be able to formally start consultations for the birth of the new government. Which should be short enough. As is well known, the outgoing premier Mario Draghi will represent our country at the European Council of 20-21 October. The task of forming the executive could be entrusted by the head of state to the new prime minister (probably Giorgia Meloni) in the same days or soon after. And from that moment on, the new government will be able to present itself in Parliament to gain confidence, in all probability by October 25-26.
