Meloni loses key Italian electoral reform vote by single vote
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni lost a key parliamentary vote on electoral reform by a single vote, exposing fragile coalition discipline and raising doubts about her government's ability to deliver promised stability.
Giorgia Meloni suffered a narrow defeat in the Chamber of Deputies on Tuesday, losing a key vote on her electoral reform bill by a single ballot. The result, 188 against to 187 in favour, was driven by a secret ballot that freed dozens of lawmakers in her own coalition from public accountability.
Riccardo Molinari, the Chamber whip for coalition partner Lega, estimated that around 31 majority MPs defected, though he denied any came from his own party. The specific amendment defeated concerned whether voters could use "preference" votes to name individual candidates on party lists.
The defeat triggered immediate calls for Meloni's resignation from the opposition, with MPs chanting for new elections. Matteo Renzi, a former prime minister, said: "The majority no longer exists. Meloni should resign." Meloni, who was returning from Qatar during the vote, responded bluntly. "We tried. The swamp has won again," she said, adding: "Several votes were missing within the majority too, and that needs some reflection."
Government sources had indicated Meloni was prepared to resign if the majority lost, but aides later ruled that out, citing "the responsibility of governing the country." For European markets and EU partners, the rebellion exposes a critical vulnerability in Rome. Meloni has positioned herself as a dependable anchor of stability in the eurozone's third-largest economy.
She has argued that her broader reform package would end Italy's historic cycle of short-lived, shifting coalitions ahead of the 2027 election. However, her inability to enforce coalition discipline on a routine amendment raises questions about her capacity to pass sensitive economic and fiscal legislation in the future.
The full reform includes a direct election for the prime minister and a "seat bonus" for the largest coalition, measures critics claim are designed to consolidate Meloni's grip on power. The legislative setback does not necessarily kill the bill. Ignazio La Russa, the Senate speaker, noted that the amendment could be revived in the upper house, where secret ballots are prohibited, allowing the majority to enforce discipline more easily.
