Overview
- The Chamber of Deputies voted 188 against and 187 in favour to reject a Fratelli d’Italia‑led amendment to reintroduce voter preferences in the electoral law, with the result decided by a secret ballot.
- The secret scrutiny allowed dozens of government deputies to defy party instructions, a pattern described in coverage as 'franchi tiratori' that revealed fractures inside the centre‑right coalition.
- Giorgia Meloni and her government had moved from staying neutral to giving a favourable opinion on the amendment, a shift that raised the political stakes for loyalists and critics alike.
- Opposition leaders immediately demanded Meloni’s resignation and early elections, while government figures said the defeat did not automatically trigger a collapse but required a formal political reflection.
- Next steps focus on the Senate stage where rules bar secret ballots on this point, meaning senators will vote openly and the reform’s fate could change as leaders weigh majority verification or other responses.