The Hunting Associations and the National Hunting and Nature Committee (CNCN), gathered in Unitary Control Room of the Hunting World, express the deepest concerns about the hypotheses of constitutional reform of the referendum institution, under discussion at the Chamber's Constitutional Affairs Commission. It is above all the foreseen hypothesis of a reduction of 25% of the quorum of validity of the referendum to arouse the greatest reservations because it alters the equilibrium of the system of democracy envisaged by the Constituent Fathers and could lead to serious consequences for everyone. It is true that the REFERENDUM is the highest expression of popular sovereignty that art. 1 of the Charter establishes our democratic Republic as the foundation, but the same norm immediately adds that the people "Exercises it in the forms and within the limits of the Constitution".
With these "forms" and these "limits" the Constituents have given content to the system of parliamentary democracy of our country in which the legislative power, the most important and complex of the powers of the state, is exercised, in the name of the "sovereign people", by the Deputies and Senators, freely elected by the latter, in the respective seats of Parliament. The constituent fathers were particularly careful and sensitive and, with the institution of the abrogative REFERENDUM, they returned the "sovereignty" to the people even after the process of formation of the laws was concluded in the Chambers and had the imprimatur of the President of the Republic. However, they did so within limits of matter and under well-defined conditions, establishing a participatory quorum equal to the majority of those entitled to vote in the election of the Chamber of Deputies.
It was thus decided that the direct intervention of citizens in the legislative function would take place in an orderly manner, on issues capable of arousing the interest of the majority of voters, while ensuring that it did not become a means of demagogic pressure in the service of interests. details. Alter this equilibrium, not only halving the threshold of validity of the consultation but also providing, with the propositive REFERENDUM, an instrument for the active production of the Legislation, means undermining our system of parliamentary democracy, which would see the role of the Chambers, i.e. of the highest bodies, undermined in which the "Sovereignty of the people" as a whole and would entrust to minorities, compact and well-organized, the legislative choices on every matter that one wanted to hit and this would happen towards everyone. It would be 12,5% + 1 of those entitled to decide the fate of all Italian citizens!
It is all too obvious that the Hunting Associations feel this serious concern with greater intensity because they are aware of having to constantly confront not only with the vast world, well structured and organized, of the Environmentalist and Animalist Associations and of the a priori Anti-hunting who do not know, or do not want to understand, the values of hunting, its traditions, its social utility and for the protection of the environment, its relevance for the economy and much more, but also for the disinterest in these issues of a large part of the population, especially of urban centers, which would certainly desert a more than likely referendum to abrogate hunting, leaving the choice to a minority of those entitled to it. However, as has already been said, the hypothesized reform would have far more far-reaching consequences that need to be reflected on because everyone, not just hunters, could suffer damage.
The Control Room of the Hunting Associations, while brings together in a common front all sectors that have the values and tradition of hunting at heart and the management of the environment so that they are committed as of now to countering such proposals even if only by promoting knowledge of their potential effects, invites all sectors of civil society to oppose them to avoid that even important issues, such as those relating to freedoms civil, health, public works, etc. etc. are at the mercy of biased minorities, bearers of partisan interests, perhaps in the disinterest of majority of citizens who will then suffer the consequences. The Control Room also signals to the most aware and prudent political forces the need to ensure that the shrewd and wise work of the constituent Legislator is not placed in thin air with dangerous, if not destructive, changes, whose system effects are not, perhaps , today not even imaginable.