Rome – Italy’s governing center-right coalition has deposited a proposed electoral reform bill in Parliament, triggering immediate opposition from the Democratic Party (PD). The bill, finalized after protracted negotiations within the coalition, introduces a proportional representation system with a governing bonus and eliminates preference voting.
The proposed legislation, outlined in a three-article document with accompanying annexes, aims to “guarantee stability and pluralism,” according to proponents. It establishes a proportional system based on multi-member constituencies, effectively abolishing the mixed-member proportional system (Rosatellum) previously in place, with limited exceptions for linguistic minorities. A governing bonus of 70 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 35 in the Senate is allocated to the list or coalition securing at least 40% of the vote. Should no coalition reach this threshold, a runoff election will be held between the two highest-polling entities, provided each has garnered at least 35% of the vote.
A key feature of the reform is the mandatory inclusion of a candidate for Prime Minister on party lists, intended to increase transparency in the political offering, although respecting the constitutional prerogatives of the President of the Republic. Each coalition will be required to submit a single name for the premiership alongside its program.
The elimination of preference voting is a significant departure from previous electoral systems. The bill also sets a 3% threshold for parliamentary representation.
Elly Schlein, leader of the opposition Democratic Party, swiftly condemned the proposed law as “unacceptable.” The PD argues the governing bonus is excessive.
The bill’s deposit follows a period of intense debate within the center-right coalition, with the final text representing a compromise between the various constituent parties. The governing coalition has framed the reform as necessary to ensure political stability and effective governance.
According to sources within the coalition, the legislation is informally being referred to as “Stabilicum,” reflecting its stated objective. However, critics have likened it to the “Porcellum,” a controversial electoral law enacted in 2005 that was later deemed unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court.
The proposed law now enters the parliamentary debate phase, where it will be subject to scrutiny and potential amendments from opposition parties. No timeline has been established for a vote on the bill.
