Voting Underway on Italy’s Controversial Electoral Reform Bill Amid Strong Opposition

October 14, Kathmandu — Italy’s lower house of parliament is set to hold the final vote today on a contentious bill to reform the electoral system. The proposed law, pushed forward by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government, aims to grant a 105-seat bonus in parliament to the party or coalition receiving the highest votes, provided it surpasses a 42 percent threshold.

This bonus includes 70 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 35 in the Senate. Importantly, these seats are within the total parliamentary count of 600 and will not increase its size. Out of Italy’s total of 600 parliamentary seats, 70 in the Chamber and 35 in the Senate will be allocated as bonus seats to the winning coalition.

According to the bill, the party or coalition must secure at least 42 percent of votes in both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate to qualify for the bonus seats. If the 42 percent threshold is not met, or if different parties or coalitions lead in each chamber, no bonus seats will be distributed and seats will be allocated proportionally. Today’s vote will be conducted by secret ballot and will be the bill’s final parliamentary approval. If passed, the existing ‘Rosatellum’ electoral system will be replaced by the new ‘Stabilicum’ system. The opposition, however, has dubbed it ‘Melonellum’ in reference to Prime Minister Meloni and criticizes it sharply.

How Are the Bonus Seats Awarded Upon Reaching 42 Percent?
Italy’s parliament consists of 400 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 200 in the Senate, totaling 600 seats. Under the proposed system, 70 of the 400 Chamber seats and 35 of the 200 Senate seats will be allocated as bonus seats. The remaining seats will be distributed proportionally. For example, if a coalition gains more than 42 percent in both chambers, it would receive an additional 70 bonus seats in the Chamber. When the proportional seats and bonus seats are combined, the winning coalition is designed to secure a clear parliamentary majority.

However, the bill also caps the maximum number of seats a coalition can acquire: up to 220 seats in the Chamber and 113 in the Senate. This means a coalition that secures 42 percent of the vote will not automatically receive exactly 42 percent of the seats but may be allocated additional seats under specific circumstances. The opposition argues this provision could create imbalances in representation and has expressed strong objections on these grounds.

New Requirement to Announce Prime Ministerial Candidate Ahead of Elections
Under the new system, parties or coalitions participating in the election must register their candidate for Prime Minister with the President, along with their electoral program, at the time of candidate registration. This aims to introduce voters to potential prime ministers before the elections. However, this does not give voters the power to directly elect the prime minister or guarantee that the candidate will automatically assume the premiership after victory. According to the Italian Constitution, the President retains the power to appoint the Prime Minister, a provision preserved in the new law.

The government asserts that these measures will enhance transparency in the electoral process and provide voters with greater clarity. Opposition critics, however, warn that this could increase political pressure on the President and undermine their constitutional role.