Lucrezia Ciotti The new electoral law has passed its final, crucial passage in the Chamber of Deputies: the bill was approved by 227 votes in favor and 164 against. After months of debate and parliamentary amendments, the reform sought by the Meloni government has finally reached the finishing line. But what changes will it have now, and what impact will it have on the upcoming elections?
New electoral law approved by the Chamber of Deputies with 227 votes.
The Chamber of Deputies approved the new electoral law with 227 votes in favor and 164 against , exceeding the required majority of 196 votes. The green light came with a final secret ballot , the last step in a parliamentary process that began in the summer of 2025. Following the result, a prolonged applause broke out from the majority benches.
The opposition instead displayed some signs with messages against the reform, including “ Fraud law” and “No to fraud”.
This is the third parliamentary step following the changes introduced by the Senate, which include a system of preferences with blocked leaders and an increase in the number of signatures required for political forces not represented in Parliament who wish to participate in the elections.
In the previous days, the Chamber had already approved the first three articles and the eighth, with the government having placed a vote of confidence on the first three.
The Chamber of Deputies approved the new electoral law, sparking a clash between the majority and the opposition.
The vote was preceded by a particularly heated debate. Giovanni Donzelli of the Brothers of Italy party 's speech provoked protests from the opposition benches, while MPs from his group applauded him. Minority representatives made harsh statements. Democratic Party secretary Elly Schlein accused the majority of reintroducing a reform already rejected in July " out of fear of the voters' judgment " and also criticized the consequences for female representation: " The first female prime minister has erased gender equality . "
Giuseppe Conte, president of the Five Star Movement, attacked the government during the voting declarations: "With his cheeky face he almost doesn't surprise us anymore, we'll send you home", referring to Giorgia Meloni. Matteo Richetti, leader of Azione, instead raised the alarm on the presence of women in Parliament: "We risk having a Parliament without women". Criticisms also from Angelo Bonelli, according to which “this electoral law” would "absolutely unconstitutional", while Riccardo Magi of +Europa spoke of a "anti-democratic twist"The majority's comments, defending the measure and the need for new electoral regulations, were of the opposite nature.
What changes now with the new electoral law
The measure, dubbed "Stabilicum" by the majority and "Melonellum" by the opposition, introduces a proportional system accompanied by a majority bonus . The main change compared to the Rosatellum is the elimination of single-member constituencies : seats are assigned based on the votes obtained by lists and coalitions, with a 3% threshold for access. The bonus is triggered if a list or coalition obtains at least 42% of the vote in both chambers and consists of 70 additional deputies and 35 senators, with a maximum cap of 220 deputies and 113 senators.
Among the changes introduced during the parliamentary process is the mechanism of preferences with blocked leaders , while political forces will have to indicate, when submitting their symbol and platform, the candidate for Prime Minister they intend to propose to the Head of State. The name , however, will not appear on the ballot . Parties not represented in Parliament will also have to increase the number of signatures required to participate in the elections.
The final vote in the Chamber was not tied to a vote of confidence: a rejection would not have automatically led to the government's resignation, but it would have represented a significant political setback for Giorgia Meloni . The transition was also particularly delicate because it was held by secret ballot , following the previous one in July, when an amendment on preferences was rejected by the same vote. With final approval, the new system replaces the Rosatellum system; it now remains to be seen, politically, what effect it will have on the composition of the next Parliament and the formation of majorities.