Meloni Pushes Electoral Reform to Secure Italian Power Base

The reform, championed by the Brothers of Italy alongside the League and Forza Italia, transitions the system toward full proportionality. Under the new framework, any coalition crossing the 42% mark secures a 70-seat premium in the lower house and an additional 35 seats in the Senate. To temper concerns over unchecked power, the legislation includes a cap on total representation, preventing any single bloc from achieving an overwhelming majority.

Internal friction surfaced during the legislative process, most notably when MPs struck down a provision for candidate preference votes. The changes also dismantle the current first-past-the-post system—a mechanism that historically offered a foothold to opposition parties, particularly in the south. As the ruling coalition prepares for the Senate vote, the emergence of the Futuro Nazionale party looms as a potential disruptor, threatening to erode the very margins Meloni is working to protect.