Well Podcast fans, its time once again to turn our eyes to our beloved Motherland for the continuing drama that is Italian politics, as our cousins across the Atlantic are gearing up for the latest constitutional referendum facing voters in the Italian Republic –including those living abroad like the many Italian American dual citizens here in the United States.  On September 20-21, Italians will go to the polls (or vote by mail) to decide whether or not to approve a constitutional law that amends the Italian Constitution in various aspects, most notably reducing the number of Members of Parliament between the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate from a whopping 945 to just 600, cutting over 1/3 of the seats in both houses!

As the vote has drawn closer and closer, many of our listeners who hold citizenship abroad have written us seeking some insight in to just what’s at stake in this latest election, so in order to help listeners navigate the confusing waters of Italian politics, we asked Umberto Mucci, founder of We the Italians, to help explain what this referendum could mean to Italians everywhere and just how overseas representation could be affected.

Umberto helps us understand the complications of Italian government, including the plethora of political parties and the different voting structures. We also talk about the pros and cons of this proposed referendum and how it could be the harbinger of significant political reform for il Bel Paese.

We’ll also compare and contrast the Italian and American political systems and how each country’s governmental structure is affected by its own national culture.

With American elections looming right around the corner in November, this week’s episode is one you most certainly won’t want to miss as you start to think about what makes a government work… and what doesn’t!