The Italian Parliament approves Meloni's controversial reform that changes the electoral rules

RomeWith 227 votes in favor and 164 against, Italy's Chamber of Deputies gave the green light this Thursday to a new electoral law promoted by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, which changes the rules of the game just months before Italians head to the polls in 2027. The new electoral law seeks to ensure absolute majorities through the introduction of a package of additional seats for the most-voted party or coalition, thus allowing the future government to choose the next President of the Republic without having to reach an agreement with the rest of the political forces, as had been done until now.

The main novelty of the text is the elimination of single-member constituencies, in which the most-voted candidate was elected until now, in favor of a proportional system that favors the formation of coalitions. According to the government—which has an absolute majority in both chambers of Parliament—the goal is to guarantee the stability of future executives through a mechanism that grants 70 additional deputies and 35 senators to the coalition that obtains at least 42% of the votes. If no list reaches this figure, the distribution of seats would be proportional.

A "governability" prize that will allow the winning coalition to choose the next President of the Republic without having to reach an agreement with the rest of the parties, as has been done historically, since the executive that emerges from the polls next year will have enough of a majority to elect the successor to the current head of state, Sergio Mattarella, whose term ends in 2029. A democratic anomaly that the opposition considers unconstitutional and which will have to be resolved in the courts.

"There is this subtle but persistent nostalgia for the twenty years of fascism that still inspires you. For you, democracy in its modern version is a covert illiberal regime, an autocracy," denounced former Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, leader of the 5 Star Movement, who accused the executive of approving the reform for "fear of losing" the next elections.

For her part, the leader of the Democratic Party (PD), Elly Schlein, has described the reform as a "scam" and criticized the government for attempting to "change the rules of the game and the laws with the match already underway".