Meloni's electoral reform approved in secret ballot, 227 to 164, amid protests from opposition.Italy's Chamber of Deputies on Thursday gave definitive approval to a new electoral law pushed by prime minister Giorgia Meloni's right-wing coalition.The reform, dubbed "Stabilicum" by supporters and "Melonellum" by opponents, passed its third reading by 227 votes to 164 in a secret ballot, and will govern the next general election, expected in 2027. The vote The vote followed a third confidence vote, called by the government on Wednesday, on the first three articles of the bill. The opposition had asked for the final vote to be held manually, with balls dropped into urns, arguing that electronic voting would allow majority MPs to be monitored. As the result was announced, opposition benches held up signs reading "No to the swindle" and "Swindle law", along with others criticising the government over fuel prices, wages and healthcare. What the law does The system remains proportional but adds a large majority bonus. A coalition winning at least 42 per cent of the vote in both chambers receives 70 extra seats in the lower house, which has 400 seats, and 35 extra in the senate, which has 200. The bonus is capped so that the winning coalition cannot exceed 220 deputies and 113 senators. If no coalition reaches 42 per cent, seats are distributed purely proportionally. Voters can express up to three preferences, but party list leaders are "blocked", meaning they are elected first regardless of the vote. Thresholds are set at three per cent for parties running alone and 10 per cent for coalitions. Parties and coalitions must name their candidate for prime minister, although the name will not appear on the ballot, as the constitution gives the president the power to appoint the head of government. The law also lets students, workers and family carers vote away from their home municipality, and keeps gender-balance rules less strict than before. Political reaction Meloni said on X that the vote showed the centrodestra was "united, compact and determined", answering those who had hoped to see it divided. She said voters would be able to choose the party, coalition, programme, prime ministerial candidate and, again, their own MP, and that the law reintroduced preference voting after more than 30 years. Giovanni Donzelli of Fratelli d'Italia, Meloni's right-wing party, told centre-left MPs that defending women did not mean defending their chance of returning to parliament by nomination. Andrea Barabotti of the right-wing Lega said the law would let Italians choose a kind of "mayor of Italy" and promised stability. Centre-left Partito Democratico (PD) leader Elly Schlein said fewer than one MP in five would be elected with preferences, and accused the government of being "terrified" of voters. Movimento 5 Stelle leader Giuseppe Conte said over 80 per cent of the next parliament would be chosen by party leaders, and noted that the law allowed list leaders to be all men. Opponents have also criticised the timing, less than a year before the vote, and the risk of instability if no coalition reaches 42 per cent. Some constitutional scholars question the requirement to name a prime ministerial candidate. Meloni's coalition last month celebrated almost four years in power, making it Italy's longest-serving government since world war two. Photo credit: Alessia Pierdomenico / Shutterstock.com

Italy's Chamber of Deputies on Thursday gave definitive approval to pushed by prime minister Giorgia Meloni's right-wing coalition. The reform, dubbed "Stabilicum" by supporters and "Melonellum" by opponents, passed its third reading by 227 votes to 164 in a secret ballot, and will govern the next general election, expected in 2027. The vote followed a third confidence vote, called by the government on Wednesday, on the first three articles of the bill. The opposition had asked for the final vote to be held manually, with balls dropped into urns, arguing that electronic voting would allow majority MPs to be monitored. As the result was announced, opposition benches held up signs reading "No to the swindle" and "Swindle law", along with others criticising the government over fuel prices, wages and healthcare. The system remains proportional but adds a large majority bonus. A coalition winning at least 42 per cent of the vote in both chambers receives 70 extra seats in the lower house, which has 400 seats, and 35 extra in the senate, which has 200. The bonus is capped so that the winning coalition cannot exceed 220 deputies and 113 senators. If no coalition reaches 42 per cent, seats are distributed purely proportionally. Voters can express up to three preferences, but party list leaders are "blocked", meaning they are elected first regardless of the vote. Thresholds are set at three per cent for parties running alone and 10 per cent for coalitions. Parties and coalitions must name their candidate for prime minister, although the name will not appear on the ballot, as the constitution gives the president the power to appoint the head of government. The law also lets students, workers and family carers vote away from their home municipality, and keeps gender-balance rules less strict than before. Meloni said on X that the vote showed the centrodestra was "united, compact and determined", answering those who had hoped to see it divided. She said voters would be able to choose the party, coalition, programme, prime ministerial candidate and, again, their own MP, and that the law reintroduced preference voting after more than 30 years. Giovanni Donzelli of Fratelli d'Italia, Meloni's right-wing party, told centre-left MPs that defending women did not mean defending their chance of returning to parliament by nomination. Andrea Barabotti of the right-wing Lega said the law would let Italians choose a kind of "mayor of Italy" and promised stability. Centre-left Partito Democratico (PD) leader Elly Schlein said fewer than one MP in five would be elected with preferences, and accused the government of being "terrified" of voters. Movimento 5 Stelle leader Giuseppe Conte said over 80 per cent of the next parliament would be chosen by party leaders, and noted that the law allowed list leaders to be all men. Opponents have also criticised the timing, less than a year before the vote, and the risk of instability if no coalition reaches 42 per cent. Some constitutional scholars question the requirement to name a prime ministerial candidate. Meloni's coalition last month celebrated almost four years in power, making it Italy's  since world war two. Photo credit: Alessia Pierdomenico / Shutterstock.com