A bill to separate the career paths
of prosecutors and judges so members of the judiciary can no
longer switch between the two roles is unnecessary and damaging,
the president of the judiciary's union National Association of
Magistrates (ANM), Giuseppe Santalucia, said on Monday.
Santalucia noted that the Constitutional reform bill would put a
strain on the Constitution, announcing that ANM will strive to
inform the public about its potential impact in the event of a
referendum.
ANM had long criticized the Constitutional reform bill, drafted
by Justice Minister Carlo Nordio, saying it will weaken the
judiciary.
Santalucia said on Monday that the judiciary's union was not
"arrogantly opposed to the reform" but highlighted that a public
debate would be "precious for both those backing the reform and
those who are against it" so voters would make "as conscious a
decision as possible" in the event of a referendum, addressing a
congress on the judiciary and information organized by the
Journalists' Guild in Rome.
"We not only believe that a reform of the Constitutions is
unnecessary, not necessary at all, but even damaging, putting a
strain on the constitutional fabric that has upheld us for all
these years, creating an imbalance between the powers of the
State", noted Santalucia.
The Constitutional reform bill also creates a high court to
discipline members of the judiciary and changes the make-up of
the judiciary's self-governing body, the CSM, overhauling the
way CSM justices are elected, using a draw process.
Nordio has hailed his reform and he dismissed assertions that it
was an attempt to increase the government's power over
prosecutors.
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