Italian Senate approves Meloni's electoral reform despite opposition resistance

A reform of Italy's electoral law, which has faced significant opposition, secured Senate approval on Tuesday. Critics have accused Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of altering the rules to enhance her prospects for re-election next year.

Meloni's conservative coalition, which comprises Brothers of Italy, the League, and Forza Italia, has proposed a fully proportional voting system designed to ensure that any alliance securing over 42% of the vote would obtain a parliamentary majority.

The measure is still awaiting final approval from Italy's lower house.

In the existing framework, the majority of lawmakers are elected via proportional representation, whereas one-third are selected in first-past-the-post constituencies, which analysts suggest may benefit the center-left opposition. The reform would eliminate these.

The coalition stated that the reform, which received approval with 113 votes in favor and 71 against, would promote political stability in a nation known for its fleeting governments. Meloni assumed office in 2022 and this month became the leader of Italy's most enduring administration since World War Two. "This isn't about stability. You are acting on the belief that there is a possibility of losing the upcoming election," stated former prime minister Matteo Renzi, head of the Italia Viva party.

THE LAW RETURNS TO THE LOWER HOUSE

Following the vote, center-left senators displayed red and yellow placards featuring the slogan "No to the fraud law."

In July, the lower house initially approved the reform, but Meloni suffered a setback. Her proposal to reintroduce preferential voting—which allows voters to select their preferred candidates from party lists—was narrowly defeated in a secret ballot because of defections within the ruling coalition.

That vote revealed tensions within the alliance as the election approaches next year, intensifying the belief that Meloni's control over the coalition might be faltering, especially with the center-left currently enjoying a slight advantage in the polls.

Instead of abandoning the measure, Meloni, a longtime advocate for preferential voting, reintroduced it to the Senate, which subsequently approved it. Due to the amendment of the reform, it is now required to return to the Chamber of Deputies, or lower house, for a final vote.

Some politicians propose that the new law might advantage Meloni's adversaries, who could exceed the 42% threshold and obtain the majority bonus, while a new far-right party, National Future, gradually diminishes support for her conservative coalition.

Meloni has dismissed the idea of forming an electoral pact with National Future, although polls indicate that such an alliance would provide them with a significant advantage over the center-left bloc.

The reform would mandate that each alliance name its candidate for prime minister prior to the election, a stipulation that is intensifying tensions among the leaders of the divided opposition parties. "This could create challenges for the center-left, possibly necessitating an early leadership contest and revealing divisions that might undermine the bloc," remarked Rado Fonda from pollster SWG.