Of Montreal lust after a position of member of parliament in Rome

Photo Martin Alarie
Basilio Giordano, a Montrealer who is present in the Chamber of deputies in Italy, participated in the election campaign of Donald Trump.

Hugo Duchaine

Sunday, 18 February 2018 23:19

UPDATE
Sunday, 18 February 2018 23:19

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At least read the newspapers or watch television in Italian, many Quebecers are unaware that an election campaign as it unfolds in this moment. But three Montrealers of Italian origin are struggling for a position as a deputy in Rome.

It is unknown, but the Italian elects two deputies and one senator who represent the North and Central America in Parliament at each election.

Basilio Giordano is one of them. The 66-year old man, in Montreal for 40 years, has been a senator from 2008 to 2013.

Now, the editor of the newspaper Il Cittadino Canadese, wants to sit with the deputies. Once again, it presents itself under the banner of the party of Silvio Berlusconi.

Nicknamed the ” Cavaliere “, the wealthy businessman had resigned as prime minister after several terms in 2011, following a series of scandals, sexual and financial. In 2013, it has even been sentenced for tax fraud.

“It is settled, it’s okay now,” says Mr. Giordano, proud to be a of this team to the right, called Forza Italia.

Silvio Berlusconi is not without reminding us of Donald Trump, to which Mr. Giordano gave a helping hand during his presidential election campaign in Pennsylvania in April 2016. If he was american, he said, he would be a republican.

For him, the president Trump is a good contact ” even if it does not have the right to vote [in the Italian elections] “, he said with a chuckle.

Photo courtesy

Giovanna Giordano, Candidate

Dual nationality

For Italians living abroad, the election issues are not at all the same as in their country of origin. Also, a small party called Free flights to Italy, whose sole purpose is to get free flights to their homeland.

But according to Mr. Giordano, the main problem for the Italian immigrants was the acquisition of a dual nationality. He points out that a large number of immigrants renounced their Italian passport in coming to Canada or elsewhere, and that the law prohibits them to get it back, what he wants to change.

Moreover, his rival from the left, Giuseppe Continiello, has the same battle horse.

Also a journalist by training, the 43-year-old came to Montreal to Milan to continue his studies. He holds a phd in international relations.

Photo courtesy

Giuseppe Continiello, Candidate

Community

His party, Liberi e Uguali, takes its roots in the world community, where he works as a teacher.

It is the opposite of that of Silvio Berlusconi, he said, which was “an example of ridicule of Italy” to the world. Its chef, Pietro Grasso, is a former judge who has dedicated his career to the fight against the mafia.

The third Montreal run for a position of mp is the teacher Giovanna Giordano. It represents a centrist party devoted to the interests of Italians abroad. It has not been possible to talk to him.

Regardless of who is elected, he will sit in Rome and will have to multiply the back-and-forth between Montreal and the Italian capital.

The voting has already started abroad

The Italian elections will not take place until 4 march, but the approximately 40 000 Italians in Quebec have already received their ballots.

They will then have until 28 February to complete it, so that it is routed in time to Rome in order for the votes to be compiled on the day of the election.

Voters have two ballots, one for the Senate and for the Chamber of deputies. They must first choose the political party they support. Then, they can write the name of the candidate they prefer as a member of parliament or senator, because parties may have more than one candidate.

Two elected

The party who has obtained the most votes will get a senator and a deputy in the Italian Parliament. The one who comes in second will be able to send a member of parliament.

It is then the candidate within the party the winner who had the most votes who wins the seat.

The Senate is composed of 315 senators, six of whom are from abroad. The chamber of deputies has 630 elected officials, including 12 from other regions of the world.

Not named

Thus, unlike Canada, the senators italians are elected rather than appointed.

In Italy the senators and deputies sit separately, but they have the same legislative powers.