Meloni pushes Italian electoral reform ahead of 2027 election

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government submitted a proposal to reform Italy’s electoral law in a bid to improve the premier’s chances in the 2027 general election.

The government presented the draft law on May 27 and if approved, it would deliver bonus seats in Parliament to the winning coalition that clinches more than 42 per cent of the vote. The intention is to give the winner of future elections a more stable majority.

Opinion polls show that Ms Meloni will struggle to secure a majority in a general election, so the seat bonus would help her get enough seats in Parliament to form a stable government. 

The legislation would also require coalitions or parties to designate their prime minister candidate when submitting electoral lists, a change that would reinforce the role of the premier. 

Ms Meloni’s three-party coalition – the Brothers of Italy, Forza Italia and the League – struggled to agree on a text for the reform proposal and the effort to pass the law has been criticized by opposition groups. 

Ms Meloni, fresh from an electoral win in a municipal election in Venice over the weekend, reiterated on May 28 that she plans to stay in power until the end of her term. 

“Continuity and stability are a big opportunity for Italy,” she said speaking on Channel 5. “I will do my best to keep this stability until the end of my mandate.”

The legislation will have to be approved by both chambers of Parliament. The voting process is scheduled to start on June 26, with Italy’s government aiming to approve the new law by the end of August, according to press reports. BLOOMBERG