Italy's parliament on Thursday gave final approval to a major overhaul of the country's electoral system, handing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni a significant political victory ahead of next year's general election. The reform was approved by the Chamber of Deputies in a secret ballot by 227 votes to 164, completing the parliamentary process after months of debate and political negotiations.

The new legislation replaces Italy's existing mixed electoral system with a fully proportional model combined with a majority bonus. Under the reform, a coalition securing at least 42% of the national vote will receive additional parliamentary seats to ensure a working majority. The bonus amounts to 70 seats in the 400-member Chamber of Deputies and 35 seats in the 200-member Senate, subject to limits on the overall size of the majority.

The reform also requires political parties and coalitions to identify their candidate for prime minister before the election. However, Italy's constitution continues to give the president the formal authority to appoint the prime minister. Coalitions must secure at least 10% of the vote to enter parliament, while individual parties face a 3% threshold. The legislation also increases the number of signatures required from parties outside parliament to field candidates.

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Meloni's government has argued that the changes are intended to produce clearer election outcomes and more stable governments. Supporters say the system could reduce the post-election negotiations that have frequently shaped Italian governments and give voters a clearer choice between competing alliances. The reform also introduces preferential voting provisions allowing voters to indicate preferred candidates from party lists.

Opposition parties have strongly criticised the legislation, arguing that it could benefit Meloni's governing coalition ahead of the next national election. Critics have also questioned the constitutionality of the majority bonus and other provisions, and have indicated that they will challenge the law before Italy's Constitutional Court. The debate has also exposed disagreements within the governing coalition over provisions concerning candidate selection and representation.

The legislation has been referred to by different names during the political debate, including "Stabilicum" and "Melonellum". The reform marks another major attempt to reshape Italy's electoral framework after several previous systems were introduced and later replaced. With the next general election expected by the end of 2027, the new rules are likely to play an important role in how parties form alliances and campaign for parliamentary seats.

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