In a decisive move that could reshape Italy’s political future, the national parliament approved a controversial overhaul of the country’s electoral system on Thursday morning. 227 lawmakers voted for the change, while 164 opposed it, signalling a clear divide between the governing coalition and the opposition.
The proposal will replace Italy’s current hybrid system—where about one‑third of the 630 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 315 in the Senate are filled by first‑past‑the‑post contests—with a fully proportional scheme. That means all seats will be allocated according to each party’s share of the vote.
In addition, the reform guarantees an extra 105 seats—70 in the lower house and 35 in the Senate—to the largest coalition that wins a plurality exceeding 42%. The move is intended to help the ruling centre‑right bloc, led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, keep a clear majority in the next election.
Opposition parties accused the law as a “scam” designed to secure a victory for Meloni's coalition. “This is fraud, a convoluted scheme entirely aimed at favouring our government,” said Five‑Star Leader Giuseppe Conte in an emotional address to Deputy‑Speaker Andrea Rossi.
The new rules will require any coalition that wishes to propose a prime minister to present a joint candidate list and a single political programme before the elections. That could consolidate the government’s policy outlook, but critics fear it would suppress smaller parties and deepen the concentration of power in the hands of the incumbency.
Meloni, who launched a warning two weeks earlier that she could resign and trigger an early election if the reform was rejected, said after the vote that “our unity has never been stronger.” She added that the law will contribute to “the stability and coherence of any government, regardless of its colour.”
The new legislation comes as Meloni’s cabinet remains Italy’s longest‑running since World War II, with her first term in power ending in October 2027 but the possibility of advancing the election it had promised last year remaining a real threat.
