Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is advancing a contentious reform of the country’s electoral system that opposition parties have criticized as an “authoritarian” measure designed to secure her centre-right coalition’s hold on power ahead of next year’s general election.
The proposed legislation introduces a proportional representation system augmented by a “majority prize” — an additional allocation of up to 17.5 percent of parliamentary seats awarded to the coalition receiving the most votes. This bonus aims to grant the winning coalition the ability to govern with a majority even if it falls short of an outright 50 percent of the vote. To qualify for this bonus, political parties must run on a common platform and agree on a candidate for prime minister in advance. The coalition must also obtain at least 42 percent of the vote; if no coalition reaches this threshold, seats would be distributed proportionally.
Speaking ahead of a parliamentary debate, Meloni framed the reform as a response to Italy’s previous political instability. “Today we are seen as an anchor of stability in Europe; yesterday we were an unstable Italy in a more stable Europe,” she said during a public forum. She emphasized that the new system was intended to ensure stable governance for the next five years.
Experts and opposition figures, however, have raised concerns over the timing and intent of the reform. Lorenzo Castellani, a political scientist at Rome’s Luiss University, suggested the move signals Meloni’s unease about her prospects in an election that could be called as early as April 2024. He characterized attempts to change electoral rules as a sign of weakness, indicating uncertainty about winning under the current system.
Opposition leaders have strongly opposed the reforms. Elly Schlein, leader of the Democratic Party, described the proposal as “clearly unconstitutional,” while her colleague Marco Meloni called it an “authoritarian plan” that centralizes power in the hands of one individual. Riccardo Magi from the smaller Più Europa party criticized the reform as “an incoherent mix of different systems” crafted to guarantee a majority for the ruling coalition.
The legislation reflects elements of a 2005 electoral law introduced by former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, which included a similar majority bonus but was later struck down by Italy’s constitutional court in 2013. Senator Lucio Malan, whip for Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party, defended the reform, stating it would promote stable government capable of implementing its policies in a politically polarized environment.
The requirement for coalitions to pre-select their prime ministerial candidates is seen as a potential challenge for the fragmented centre-left opposition, where figures such as Schlein and Giuseppe Conte of the 5-Star Movement both seek leadership. Additionally, the draft law would raise the threshold for smaller parties to appear on ballots, imposing a need to collect 500,000 signatures. Critics view this as a strategic move to marginalize emerging groups, including former general Roberto Vannacci’s hard-right Futuro Nazionale (National Future) movement.
As the parliamentary debate unfolds, the clash over electoral reform highlights deeper divisions within Italy’s political landscape ahead of a pivotal election.