Primaries by law, the shadow of the appeals on the next regional elections in Sardinia

There is already the shadow of the appeals on the Regional elections scheduled in about three months. The reason could be the failure to implement article 8 of the regional statutory law of 2013 which provides for the choice of coalition candidates through primary elections (regulated with autonomous discipline provided that they respect the principles of transparency and democracy).

Today the Progressives illustrated a bill for the application of Article 8 on a transitional basis already in the 2024 session. A proposal to promote by law what the broad field that indicated Alessandra Todde (M5S) as candidate for governor did not accept to do: the primaries. Which is why Massimo Zedda's party today supports Renato Soru's entry into the field.

But to be discussed, the Progressives' proposal would have to enter the Chamber with the emergency procedure provided for by article 102 of the Regional Council regulation, and this presupposes that all the majority and opposition group leaders agree. Which is very difficult because, as always, the party of the current Campo Largo candidate, the M5S, has made opposition to the primaries a condition for being part of the coalition. And there is no reason for the center-right to lend its support to a solution that could have the effect of reuniting the center-left. If this is the case, former Progressive parliamentarian Luciano Uras declared today, «those who do not agree to the emergency procedure will assume all the responsibilities. What the statute provides is binding for the institutions. We cannot pretend nothing has happened and approving the principle of using primaries to choose candidates would solve the problems of all sides, not just the centre-left."

According to Zedda "the Council is obliged to make a decision, the risk is to send the next regional elections sub judice because any citizen would be entitled to lodge appeals for the failure to apply the law, even before the elections, perhaps immediately after the convening of electoral rallies".

For group leader Francesco Agus , «the issue is first of all political: there is the risk that the next regional council will be elected by a third of the electoral body. Our proposal aims to guarantee the principle of democratic participation expressly provided for by the statutory law."

There is another proposal for the implementation of article 8 of the statute and it is signed by the Reformers, but it has not yet been deposited.