Italy’s Parliament Votes on Electoral Law Reform in Key Test for Giorgia Meloni

The Italian Parliament is scheduled to vote Thursday, October 8, 2026, on a major reform of the country's electoral law. The proposal, backed by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s hard-right government, seeks to replace the current hybrid system—which mixes first-past-the-post and proportional representation—with a fully proportional model. Under the new rules, any political alliance that secures more than 42% of the vote would automatically be granted a parliamentary majority, receiving an additional 70 seats in the lower house and 35 in the Senate.

According to The Hindu, supporters of the reform, including Luca Ciriani, the minister for parliamentary relations, argue that the legislation will provide necessary political stability. Ciriani noted that the law would benefit voters by requiring parties and coalitions to declare their governing programs and candidates for premier well in advance of elections. However, the proposal faces intense opposition from the centre-left, with Democratic Party (PD) lower-house leader Chiara Braga describing the move as an attempt to "bend democratic rules to serve the interests of those in power."

While Meloni has stated she would resign if the reform fails, political analysts suggest that lawmakers are unlikely to force an early election at this time. Giovanni Orsina, a political scientist at Luiss University, characterized the vote as a significant risk for the Prime Minister, noting that while the law may pass, it creates a highly unpredictable landscape for the next election. Although Meloni's administration recently became the longest-running in Italy's postwar history, her coalition has faced recent polling declines, partly due to the rise of Roberto Vannacci’s new National Future (FN) party.

Opposition parties have already declared their intention to challenge the law in court. Although Meloni’s term is officially set to conclude in October 2027, the legislative change could influence her decision on whether to bring elections forward to April or May 2027.