Recent polls put Meloni’s Brothers of Italy at about 28%, followed by the Democratic Party at around 20% and Five Star at 12.5%. The reform could nevertheless create an opportunity for the centre-left if its parties can overcome their differences and form a broad alliance.
The reform introduces a fully proportional voting system that gives a parliamentary majority to alliances winning more than 42% of the vote ahead of a national election due by the end of next year.
The Italian PM said the new system would help deliver more stable governments and give voters a greater say in choosing political programmes and prime ministerial candidates. Democratic Party leader Elly Schlein rejected that argument and said the centre-left would win regardless of the voting system. “Go ahead and change the electoral law, we will win in any case under any voting system,” Schlein said.
The opposition, however, accused Meloni’s government of changing the rules to improve its chances of staying in power. The reform also requires parties and alliances to set out their governing programme and name their candidate for prime minister before an election. Supporters say this will make voters’ choices clearer.
Italy’s parliament on Thursday gave final approval to an electoral reform championed by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
Analysts had said the previous system could favour the opposition when parties coordinated their candidates. The reform replaces a hybrid electoral system in which around two-thirds of lawmakers were elected through proportional representation and the remainder through first-past-the-post constituencies.
“Italians will finally have real weight with their vote, as they will choose the coalition, the platform, and the candidate for prime minister,” he said.