Italian Senate Clears Meloni Electoral Reform Bill 113-71

Italy's Senate approved Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's electoral reform bill by 113 votes to 71 on September 15, 2026. The amended measure now goes to the Chamber of Deputies for final approval, with a third reading expected by September 28. Its core substance is unchanged since the lower house passed it in July. A coalition winning at least 42 percent of the vote would get bonus seats guaranteeing a parliamentary majority; if none reaches that threshold, a purely proportional system would apply. Coalitions must name their prime-minister candidate before the election. Voters could mark preferences for up to three candidates on party lists, while lead candidates remain blocked. The Senate rejected a Democratic Party amendment to eliminate blocked lead candidates. New parties not in parliament would need at least 450,000 signatures nationwide to qualify. Contested / who says what Matteo Renzi said, "This isn't about stability. You're doing this because you believe there's a risk you'll lose the next elections." Opposition senators waved placards reading "No to the fraud law" and "No to the fraudulent law." Alessandro Onorato called the measure "unconstitutional" and asked President Sergio Mattarella to block it. An Il Post editorial said the law "will significantly, if not drastically, reduce female representation in parliament." Rado Fonda said, "This could be problematic for the center-left, potentially leading to an early leadership battle and exposing divisions that could weaken the bloc." The government says the reform will produce more stable administrations; opposition parties call it a power grab.