Lucrezia Ciotti The new electoral law is now a reality: the Chamber of Deputies has definitively approved the " Stabilicum ," the system promoted by the governing majority and renamed "Melonellum" by the opposition. The new mechanism replaces the Rosatellum and introduces a proportional system with a 42% majority bonus, the return of preferences, and the designation of the prime ministerial candidate. Here's what changes for parties and voters.
New electoral law, green light for the Stabilicum: here's why it's called that
With the final approval of the Chamber of Deputies, Italy introduces a new electoral law, dubbed "Stabilicum" by the majority and "Melonellum" by the opposition. The new system replaces the Rosatellum and maintains a predominantly proportional system, but adds a governability bonus.
The stated goal is to foster stronger majorities: if a list or coalition wins more than 42% of the valid votes in both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate , it gains 70 additional deputies and 35 senators . However, a maximum limit of 220 deputies and 113 senators is envisaged , to prevent a majority from alone having the necessary numbers for certain particularly important votes.
If no one reaches 42%, seats are distributed proportionally. The final vote in Montecitorio came after the Senate and resulted in 227 votes in favor and 164 against.
The 3% threshold for individual lists and 10% for coalitions remain in place . For the latter, the list that achieved the best result among those remaining below 3% will be eligible for a second chance. Even the votes of parties that do not reach this percentage can still contribute to reaching the 42% threshold needed to obtain the bonus. The reform, however, eliminates single-member constituencies , leaving room exclusively for lists in multi-member constituencies. According to analysts, the mechanism could push parties to build broader coalitions even before the elections , precisely to increase their chances of reaching the required threshold. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni defended the reform by arguing that " when Italians go back to vote, they will be able to choose everything , " while the majority speaks of the need to guarantee " stable governments and greater participation . "
Preferences, Prime Ministerial Candidate, and Voting Out of Town: What Changes for Voters
One of the main innovations concerns the return of preferences , absent from the national electoral system for over twenty years. However, the envisaged model is mixed: each list will present a blocked leader , followed by six other candidates. Voters will be able to indicate up to three preferences , respecting gender alternation. For overall candidacies, it is also expected that neither gender will exceed 60% . The law also establishes that lists and coalitions must communicate, when presenting their symbol and platform, the name of the person they intend to propose to the President of the Republic as Prime Minister. The name of the candidate for Prime Minister, however, will not be printed on the ballot paper . The system therefore does not introduce a direct election of the head of government nor any constraint on the President of the Republic in the formation of the executive.
The reform also affects the conditions for running for elections: for non-exempt parties the number of signatures required increases from 1.500 to 6.000 per college, while specific rules remain for parties already represented in Parliament. The voting rules also change in the Foreign constituency, which goes from four to two divisions for the Chamber and to just one for the Senate. Another novelty concerns the out-of-town vote: those who temporarily live far from their municipality will be able to vote in their place of residence if they have resided there for at least nine months, period reduced to three months for those travelling for medical reasons.
The option has also been extended to caregivers who care for family members or children hospitalized in a region other than their electoral registration region. However, the new system remains a hotly contested political battle: after the final approval, the opposition displayed signs in the Chamber reading " Fraudulent Law " and " No to Fraud , " particularly challenging the majority bonus and the way the prime minister is appointed.