Overview
- Senators began formal examination of the bill in Palazzo Madama after the Constitutional Affairs committee sent the text to the floor without a rapporteur, a move that speeds debate and risks nullifying many committee amendments.
- The majority abandoned the proposed national second-round runoff and confirmed a 42% threshold for the majority bonus, a calculation the governing coalition says is meant to ensure governability.
- Key fights remain unresolved on the Senate floor over whether to restore free voter preferences or keep the ‘meticce’ system with protected top candidates, and over the ‘anti-cespugli’ rule that would exclude small lists from prize calculations.
- Roberto Vannacci has publicly urged Fratelli d’Italia to back an opposition amendment for open preferences and warned that Futuro Nazionale’s votes are decisive for reaching 42%, increasing pressure on coalition unity.
- If the Senate amends the text it will return to the Chamber for a third reading on September 28 and the majority has signalled it may use a confidence vote to secure final passage, which would limit further negotiation.