Overview
- The Chamber of Deputies approved the reform in a secret final vote on Thursday with 227 deputies for and 164 against after the government survived three earlier trust votes on individual articles.
- The measure creates a majority‑bonus: a coalition that wins 42% of the vote would receive about 70 extra seats in the 400‑member Chamber and roughly 35 extra seats in the Senate.
- Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni made the bill a test of her government and warned of consequences if it failed, tying passage to confidence votes to enforce party discipline.
- Opponents call the law the “Melonellum,” plan appeals to the Constitutional Court and point to past rulings that limit seat‑bonus distortions as grounds for legal challenges.
- Analysts warn the reform may not ensure stable majorities because falling support for smaller coalition partners and the rise of right‑wing challengers like Roberto Vannacci could prevent any coalition from reaching the 42% threshold.