Italy’s parliament has given final approval to an electoral reform championed by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, despite strong objections from opposition parties. The legislation reshapes the system around proportional representation while providing additional seats to the coalition that finishes first.
Meloni has argued that the measure will help produce more stable governments in a country with a long record of fragile governing coalitions. Her supporters present the reform as a way to make election outcomes clearer and reduce political uncertainty.
Opposition parties say the change would disproportionately benefit the governing bloc and have pledged to contest it in court. Their central objection is that a coalition could receive an enhanced parliamentary reward with 42% of the vote, a result they argue would distort the link between public support and representation.
The dispute has widened the political confrontation around the rules for Italy’s next election. As The Guardian reported, critics view the reform as an attempt to strengthen Meloni’s prospects of retaining power, while the government frames it as an institutional stability measure.
The legal challenge will place the reform under further scrutiny and could test the balance between proportional voting and mechanisms designed to secure a durable parliamentary majority. For European observers, the case also highlights a recurring debate over whether electoral systems should prioritise representativeness or governability.