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Italy Approves Electoral Reform Ahead of 2027 Vote, Opposition Vows Court Challenge
Italy’s lower house of parliament has given final approval to a controversial overhaul of the country’s electoral system, setting new rules ahead of the national election expected in 2027.
The Chamber of Deputies approved the bill by 227 votes to 164 in a secret ballot. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government says the changes are intended to make it easier for election winners to form stable governments. Opposition parties argue the rules could advantage the governing coalition and have pledged to challenge the measure in Italy’s Constitutional Court once it takes effect.
The reform replaces Italy’s current mixed system—which elects some lawmakers in first-past-the-post constituencies—with a fully proportional system. It also creates a “majority bonus”: a coalition reaching the 42% vote threshold would receive extra seats, reported by Reuters as 70 in the Chamber of Deputies and 35 in the Senate. The bonus is capped to limit the size of the resulting parliamentary majority.
Under the new rules, parties or coalitions must name a candidate for prime minister before the election. Reuters notes that the designation would not legally bind Italy’s president, who formally appoints the prime minister under the country’s constitution. The reform also sets minimum vote thresholds for coalitions and individual parties, and increases the number of signatures required for some parties outside parliament to run candidates. Critics say those requirements could make it harder for smaller or newer parties to compete.
Meloni has defended the changes as a way to give voters a clearer choice and reduce post-election bargaining. Opponents say the seat bonus could distort how votes translate into representation and question whether the reform is constitutional. The Constitutional Court challenge could therefore become a significant next step in the dispute over the rules.
The measure is a major political win for Meloni, but its effect on the 2027 contest is not yet clear. Reuters reported that shifting political support could make it difficult for her coalition to reach the bonus threshold, while the requirement to name a prime ministerial candidate may also test unity among opposition parties.
