Italy has rewritten the rules for its next election — now the fight moves to alliances, the polls and possibly the courts
October 9, 2026 — Italy has a new electoral law after the Chamber of Deputies gave final approval on October 8 to the reform backed by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, passing it by 227 votes to 164 in a secret ballot and setting the framework for a national election due in 2027.
Image: The Italian parliament chamber in Rome illustrated with ballot papers and rows of seats. Credit: AI-generated illustration / Red Eye Eagle News, original illustration.
Editor's Highlight: A list or coalition reaching at least 42% gains a large seat bonus, turning a plurality into a working majority — if any bloc can reach that threshold.
Table of Contents
- Key Facts
- How the Bonus Works
- What Changes for Voters and Parties
- Why the Government Backs the Reform
- Why the Opposition Objects
- Timeline: From Senate Approval to the 2027 Election
- Bottom Line
- FAQ
- Sources
Key Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Final vote | Chamber of Deputies, October 8, 2026: 227 in favour, 164 against, secret ballot |
| Names | Formally called the Stabilicum; nicknamed the Melonellum by opponents |
| System replaced | The Rosatellum, in force since 2017, with about a third of seats from first-past-the-post contests |
| New system | Fully proportional, with a majority bonus for the leading list or coalition |
| Bonus threshold | At least 42% of the national vote |
| Bonus size | 70 extra seats in the 400-seat Chamber and 35 in the 200-seat Senate, capped at 220 deputies and 113 senators |
| Next election | Due in 2027; current legislature runs to autumn 2027 |
How the Bonus Works
Under the new law, seats are first shared out proportionally, a clear break with the outgoing mixed system.
If the leading list or coalition clears 42%, it receives the bonus described in the Key Facts table.
The cap matters. With the bonus, the winner cannot pass 220 deputies or 113 senators.
Newsroom Focus: If no bloc reaches 42%, there is no bonus. Seats then fall back to a proportional split among parties reaching at least 3%, with a 10% floor for coalitions. A coalition just above the threshold can govern with room to absorb defections; one just below gets no extra help.
What Changes for Voters and Parties
Coalitions and parties must name their candidate for prime minister when they register.
The label is politically important, but carries no direct legal force. Italy's President still formally appoints the head of government.
Voters regain a limited form of preference voting. They can indicate up to three preferences among candidates below the list leaders.
Those list leaders remain blocked: placed first by their parties, ahead of preference candidates.
The law also makes entry harder for new groups outside parliament. The signatures needed in each constituency rise from 1,500 to 6,000.
Another change covers voters away from their registered residence, including family caregivers, so they can cast a ballot where they are.
Practical Takeaway: Voters will know each bloc's intended prime minister and can rank some candidates, but party headquarters still control list leaders.
Why the Government Backs the Reform
Meloni presented the law as a stability measure that should work for a government of any colour.
Her short public argument was: "Whoever wins must be able to govern."
She also treated the result as proof of coalition unity, despite months of internal argument over preference voting.
Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani echoed that message, saying the majority was solid and wanted another five years in government.
Analysis Note: Stability is a real selling point in a country used to short-lived governments. The dispute is over how much distortion voters should accept to buy it.
Why the Opposition Objects
Centre-left parties say the bonus distorts each vote's weight and was pushed through, without their consent, close to an election.
Democratic Party leader Elly Schlein argued that fewer than one in five lawmakers would be chosen through preference votes. Five Star leader Giuseppe Conte said party leaderships would shape more than 80% of the next parliament, and warned that list leaders could all be men.
Opponents have also attacked the higher signature requirement, arguing that it raises the barrier for new entrants and smaller parties.
A network opposing the reform plans legal challenges once the law takes effect, seeking a referral to the Constitutional Court.
Brussels Signal noted two further risks: the Venice Commission advises against changing core electoral rules less than a year before polling, and the Senate bonus could face scrutiny because the upper house is elected on a regional basis.
Tech Analysis: The risk for Meloni is arithmetic. Reuters noted that her bloc is now trailing in polls after the far-right party National Future, led by Roberto Vannacci, began drawing support from the right. A winner's bonus could therefore help a rival bloc that reaches 42% first.
Timeline: From Senate Approval to the 2027 Election
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| September 2026 | Senate clears the reform; Meloni government passes its longevity milestone on September 4 |
| October 8, 2026 | Chamber gives final approval, 227-164, on third reading after Senate amendments |
| After publication | Opposition network plans challenges seeking Constitutional Court review |
| 2027 | Next general election due, by autumn, under the new rules unless the court intervenes |
The passage followed four parliamentary votes in total, according to Reuters, and months of negotiation. The compromise on preferences kept leaders at the top, preserving leadership control over most seats while restoring a visible preference vote below them.
Bottom Line
Italy has swapped a mixed system for proportional voting with a winner's bonus.
If a coalition reaches 42%, it should emerge with a clear majority in both chambers. If none does, Italy returns to proportional bargaining.
What to watch: whether the Constitutional Court is asked to intervene, whether any bloc can credibly aim at 42%, and whether alliance talks force both sides to settle on leaders early.
FAQ
What is the Melonellum?
It is the opposition nickname for Italy's 2026 electoral law, formally promoted as the Stabilicum. It replaces the Rosatellum.
How does a coalition win the bonus?
It must finish first and reach at least 42% of the national vote. It then gains 70 extra Chamber seats and 35 extra Senate seats, subject to the stated caps.
Can voters choose individual candidates?
Partly. Voters can give up to three preferences below the list leaders, but those leaders are blocked in first place by their parties.
Does naming a prime minister candidate bind the President?
No. Coalitions must name a candidate when registering, but the President of the Republic still formally appoints the head of government.
Could the Constitutional Court change the law?
Opponents plan challenges seeking a referral to the court, which could affect parts of the law. No ruling has yet been reported.
Sources
- Brussels Signal — Italy adopts new electoral law: https://brusselssignal.eu/2026/10/italy-adopts-electoral-law-handing-bonus-seats-to-the-winning-coalition/
- Europe Says — Italy gives final approval to electoral reform: https://www.europesays.com/italy/54155/
- UIS Journal — How the new electoral law works: https://uisjournal.com/stabilicum-or-melonellum-how-the-new-electoral-law-works-and-what-changes-for-the-2027-elections/
- The Business Standard / Reuters — Meloni secures final approval: https://www.tbsnews.net/worldbiz/europe/italys-meloni-secures-final-approval-contested-electoral-reform-1566406
- Hero image — AI-generated illustration / Red Eye Eagle News, original illustration.
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