Roundup: Battle goes on after constitutional reform passes in parliament of Italy

After the Italian parliament gave its final green light to a key constitutional reform earlier this week, political reactions dominated Italy's domestic debate across the entire party spectrum.

The approval of the reform was seen as a clear boost for Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and his center-left cabinet in the immediate aftermath of the vote.

The constitutional bill was at the core of Renzi's agenda since he was appointed prime minister in February 2014.

Its passage through the parliament after almost two years of work, and sixth consecutive readings in both chambers, would benefit the Renzi's political stature and the perception of his ability to deliver promised reforms, according to some media analysts.

Yet, opposition parties and civil society groups that campaigned against the reform were already preparing for a national referendum through which the constitutional overhaul must be confirmed or rejected by voters.

According to the cabinet, the reform would streamline Italy's law-making process, by demoting the senate and putting an end to the current "perfect bicameralism" system.

Adding to a new electoral law that grants a majority premium to the winner party, it would also allow more political stability to the country and strengthen the government's action, the cabinet added.

Opponents argue it would just undermine the Italian democracy, by giving the cabinet too much power at the expense of a weakened parliament, and too much space to the strongest party.

Critics also fear it would deprive Italy's system of crucial democratic checks and balances among institutions.

The referendum is likely to be held in October, and critics of the reform have vowed to transform it into a crucial "test" of Renzi and his government's popularity.

Center-right Forza Italia (FI) party of former premier Silvio Berlusconi, anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S), and the Northern League all committed themselves to join battle in the next months.

"Citizens will oust Matteo Renzi (in the referendum)," Renato Brunetta, FI leader in the lower house, declared.

Minor leftist forces in parliament expressed the same position.

The "No Committee" also rallied the forces and held a symbolic protest outside the parliament, while the reform bill was going through the final ballot in the Chamber of Deputies on Tuesday.

The civil society group includes some renowned Italian jurists, such as Stefano Rodota and Gustavo Zagrebelsky, and has long campaigned against the bill.

For their part, Renzi and his ruling center-left Democratic Party (PD) hailed the passage of the reform in parliament, as expected.

"It will make Italy one of the most stable countries in Europe," Renzi said on Wednesday.

"It is a crucial passage that proves our politics is serious, and Italian institutions are reliable."

In the final ballot, the bill also obtained support from a minority of PD members who had been strongly critical of the reform during the long debate. But they signalled their commitment on the referendum would depend much on the willingness of the cabinet to change the new electoral law.

Positive reactions came from PD's junior allies in the cabinet. Finally, political analysts noted the prime minister has himself contributed to the risk of making the constitutional referendum a "political test."

Indeed, Renzi staked his future on the positive outcome of the draft law, by repeatedly declaring he would resign if it did not pass in the parliament. Ahead of the vote on Monday, he vowed he would "put everything on the line with the referendum." Endit