Latest News:  

English>>World

Italy elects parliament speakers, but alliances for gov't still unclear

(Xinhua)

11:51, March 17, 2013

Laura Boldrini (Front), the newly-elected speaker of Italy's Chamber of Deputies, gives a speech in Rome, Italy, on March 16, 2013. Italy's new parliament on Saturday elected the speakers of the Chamber of Deputies and of the Senate, ending a two-day session on its second official day as the country's legislative body. (Xinhua/Xu Nizhi)

ROME, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Italy's new parliament on Saturday elected the speakers of the Chamber of Deputies and of the Senate, ending a two-day session on its second official day as the country's legislative body.

At the fourth round of voting for each of the equally powerful houses, lawmakers elected the two speakers both belonging to the center-left coalition, the most voted in last month's national elections.

In Italy, the speakers of the Chamber of Deputies and of the Senate are the highest positions after the president of the Republic.

Laura Boldrini, 52, of Left, Ecology and Freedom party (SEL), the main ally of the Democratic Party (PD), became the speaker of the 630-member lower house.

A former journalist for Rai state television with a law degree, Boldrini has worked for 24 years in various United Nation (UN) organizations including the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) of which she was a spokesman from 1998 to 2012.

In her inaugural speech, she expressed high hope for "renewal" of the Italian scandal-plagued political world. "We will make of this House the home of good politics," Boldrini stressed, adding that Italy can contribute to building "the great dream" of the European Union.

The newly-elected president of the 315-member Senate was anti-mafia prosecutor Pietro Grasso, 68, who entered parliament in the ranks of PD.

For 43 years, Grasso has tracked down strings of mobsters and coordinated investigations into the murders of Italy's top two anti-mafia magistrates in the 1990s.

In both the votes, the most part of lawmakers of the Five-Star Movement (M5S), a grassroots movement born on the Internet to oppose old politics, cast empty ballots reiterating their refusal to support traditional parties.


【1】 【2】

We recommend:

Animals enjoy sunshine in Hannover zoo, Germany

Mass marriage ceremony held in Karachi,Pakistan

Late winter snowstorm hits New York

Flood continues hitting Indonesia's Jakarta

Thousands march with coffin to pay tribute to Chavez

83rd Geneva Int'l Motor Show opens

Email|Print|Comments(Editor:HuangBeibei、Chen Lidan)

Leave your comment0 comments

  1. Name

  

Selections for you


  1. Weekly review of military photos

  2. Flying Leopard fighters in training

  3. Flower and garden festival held in Canada

  4. Samsung unveils Galaxy S4 smartphone

  5. Painting a tattoo on body with own style

  6. Interpreters serving for the 'two sessions'

  7. Peach flowers blossom in Shuangxi Township

  8. Huaxia Bee Museum opens in SW China

  9. Gas development on agenda

  10. China's financial might takes shape

Most Popular

Opinions

  1. Cultural parks no substitute for talent
  2. Planning vital to diplomacy
  3. Loopholes for rich make estate tax meaningless
  4. How to start transformation and upgrading?
  5. Nation facing energy security threat: experts
  6. Plenty of hard work still to be done on rail reform
  7. 'Made in China' not equal to 'self-made in China'
  8. Efforts needed to nurture ethnic culture, language
  9. Filipina maids or local ayi?
  10. China won't take part in currency wars

What’s happening in China

Spring comes to China. More Spring Photos: 'Fresh style' ;'Spring Style'

  1. Heavy rain forecast in S China
  2. Shanghai authorities retrieve dead pigs from river
  3. Beijing police crack down on fake goods
  4. China issues new essential drug list
  5. China to tackle people's high aluminum exposure