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| - Italy will hold a national referendum in September on reducing the number of representatives in both houses of parliament, the government said Wednesday. Elections in six regions are likely to be held at the same time, it added. Both the referendum, originally scheduled for March, and the regional votes set for May, were postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. The reform had been an election pledge by the anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S), which said it would save 500 million euros ($570 million) each legislative term. The overall number of elected representatives would drop from 945 to 600, with the number of deputies tumbling from 630 to 400, and senators from 315 to 200. Most parties say they support the reform, which is expected to be approved by voters on September 20 and 21. The regional elections concern more than 21 million voters in Tuscany, Puglia, Campania, Veneto, Marche and Liguria. They will be watched as an important indicator of the balance of power between parties that make up the governing coalition, and the right-wing opposition. ljm/ide/txw/wai
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