Italian Lower House passes electoral reform bill, sending Stabilicum to Senate with 217 votes

The Italian Chamber of Deputies approved the government's electoral reform bill, known as Stabilicum, on Thursday with 217 votes in favour, 152 against and 2 abstentions. The bill now moves to the Senate, where a final vote is expected in September. The reform, championed by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's right-wing coalition, replaces the current mixed electoral system with a proportional representation model that includes a majority bonus for any coalition winning at least 42% of the national vote.

The vote

The secret ballot took place in a tense atmosphere. Opposition lawmakers held up placards reading "Meloni has failed", "Electoral law = scam law" and "The majority no longer exists: go home". Chamber President Lorenzo Fontana repeatedly called for order as protests erupted during the voting declarations. After the result was announced, centre-right deputies stood and applauded, with handshakes among coalition members.

You have scored a goal and you did well to celebrate as if you had won the World Cup for preventing Italians from expressing preferences: it's your victory and I leave it all to you.

What the law changes

The Stabilicum introduces a proportional system with a governability bonus: 70 extra seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 35 in the Senate, up to a ceiling of 220 and 113 seats respectively (excluding the 12 elected abroad). The bonus is awarded to the list or coalition that comes first in both chambers and crosses the 42% threshold. If no one reaches that mark, or if the two chambers produce different outcomes, a purely proportional system applies. The law mandates blocked lists without preference votes, requires parties to name their candidate for prime minister at the time of registration, and includes provisions for out-of-town voting and an anti-fragmentation clause.

The preference battle

The final text does not include a preference vote option, after a dramatic defeat for the government on Tuesday. An amendment backed by Meloni to allow voters to express preferences for candidates was rejected in a secret ballot when dozens of coalition MPs broke ranks. The opposition seized on the episode as proof the government had lost its majority, but Meloni's camp framed it as a betrayal by internal snipers and the left, which she says wanted to keep full control over candidate selection through blocked lists.

Meloni, it is you who betrayed the trust of Italians. You want to change the electoral law because you are afraid of losing.

Opposition fury

Opposition leaders condemned the reform as a power grab designed to insulate the ruling coalition from a likely defeat in the 2027 general election. Elly Schlein, secretary of the Democratic Party, accused Meloni of being obsessed with power and ignoring pressing issues such as workplace deaths and poverty. The anti-fragmentation rule, which excludes lists below 3% from contributing to a coalition's national tally unless they are the "best loser", drew criticism for penalising small progressive parties while favouring centrist formations like Italia Viva. Constitutional concerns were also raised, though supporters note that similar majority bonuses have survived past court scrutiny.

What happens next

The bill now heads to the Senate, where the vote will be open, making its passage almost certain. Senate President Ignazio La Russa has floated the possibility of reintroducing preference voting at the last moment, a move that would force opponents to choose between accepting the change or sinking the entire law. Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said he hoped preferences could be recovered in the Senate, while Forza Italia's leadership signalled the law should remain as it is. The summer break will be used to reflect on the internal fractures exposed by Tuesday's secret ballot, particularly within Forza Italia and the League.