Italy’s Senate has approved a controversial electoral reform backed by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s governing coalition, prompting opposition parties to accuse her of changing the rules to strengthen her chances of winning next year’s election.
The measure passed by 113 votes to 71 and proposes replacing the current mixed electoral system with a fully proportional model. Under the plan, any alliance securing more than 42% of the vote would be guaranteed a parliamentary majority.
The reform would abolish first past the post constituencies, which currently account for about one third of parliamentary seats. The remaining seats are elected through proportional representation.
Meloni’s coalition, made up of Brothers of Italy, the League and Forza Italia, says the changes would promote political stability in a country known for frequent changes of government. Meloni became prime minister in 2022 and recently led Italy’s longest serving administration since World War Two.
Opposition leader and former prime minister Matteo Renzi rejected that argument, saying the reform was motivated by fears that Meloni could lose the next election.
The bill must return to the Chamber of Deputies for final approval because it was amended after its initial passage in July. That earlier vote exposed divisions within the governing coalition after lawmakers narrowly rejected a proposal to restore preferential voting in a secret ballot.
The reform also requires electoral alliances to name their candidate for prime minister before voting. Analysts say the provision could intensify leadership disputes within the centre left opposition, which currently holds a narrow lead in opinion polls.
The emergence of the far right National Future party has further complicated the political landscape. Although Meloni has ruled out an electoral pact with the party, polls suggest that cooperation between the two groups could give them a strong advantage over the centre left.
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