Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's ruling coalition has pledged to push forward with its ambitious plans to overhaul Italy's electoral system, despite suffering a significant parliamentary defeat earlier this week. The setback, which saw a key amendment to the reforms rejected in a secret ballot, has emboldened opposition parties to demand immediate general elections.
On Tuesday, an amendment designed to grant voters greater influence in ranking candidates on electoral lists, while preserving the top position for party leaders, was narrowly defeated by a single vote in the lower house. Reports suggest that between 20 and 25 members of the ruling coalition, which includes Brothers of Italy, Forza Italia, and the League, broke ranks to vote against the measure. This marks the second major legislative blow to Meloni's reform agenda this year, following a failed referendum on judicial reform in March.
In the wake of the vote, opposition leaders celebrated in the Chamber of Deputies, chanting calls for 'elections' and 'resign'. Elly Schlein, leader of the centre-left Democratic Party (PD), urged Meloni to 'go home and give the country a government capable of solving Italy's problems'. Former Prime Ministers Giuseppe Conte and Matteo Renzi also called for Meloni's resignation and early elections, with Conte stressing the need for accountability in decision-making.
However, the Meloni government has dismissed calls for its collapse. Luca Ciriani, a senator and minister from the Brothers of Italy party, affirmed the coalition's commitment to its term, highlighting the stability it has provided to Italy. He attributed the defeat to 'sniper' lawmakers within the right-wing alliance, a sentiment echoed by Francesco Lollobrigida, another Brothers of Italy minister, who vowed to 'hunt' down the rebels.
Other senior figures within the ruling bloc have reiterated their determination to enact the broader electoral reforms. These reforms aim to introduce a fully proportional voting model, crucially including the provision of bonus seats for the coalition that secures the most votes, even if it falls short of an outright majority. Enrico Costa, Forza Italia's leader in the lower house, emphasised the importance of the law for ensuring stability. Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani, also of Forza Italia, downplayed the setback as a minor 'blip', while Ignazio La Russa, President of the upper house, suggested the defeated measure could potentially be revived there.
With a general election constitutionally due before October 2027, the stakes for these electoral changes are high. While current polls indicate Brothers of Italy leading among individual parties, a hypothetical left-wing alliance led by the PD appears to outrank Meloni's bloc when voters consider coalitions. The emergence of a new far-right rival, Roberto Vannacci's Futuro Nazionale, further complicates the political landscape, with surveys suggesting a future election could result in a hung parliament.