Overview
- The Senate voted on Thursday to reject the opposition’s sub‑amendment for ‘preferenze pure’, with 68 votes for and 99 against, preserving a centre‑right compromise that allows only limited voter preferences alongside capilista bloccati.
- The majority abandoned a proposed second round (ballottaggio) and left the threshold for the majority bonus at 42%, decisions driven by the coalition’s priority to guarantee governability rather than broaden voter choice.
- Fratelli d’Italia — which historically supported full preferences — voted against the opposition plan to avoid splitting the coalition, a tactical reversal that settled the immediate dispute but exposed intra‑alliance strains.
- Technical fights continue over the so‑called anti‑cespugli rule and signature requirements, with majority talks moving toward removing a contribution threshold for small lists while raising the number of signatures needed to run.
- The Senate plans to finish its examination by September 15 and, if the text is changed, the law will return to the Chamber on September 28 where the government has signalled it may seek a confidence vote to secure final approval.