Electoral law, the text passes to the Chamber. First test passed.

The Chamber of Deputies has approved the new electoral law. The text passed with 217 votes in favor and 152 against, passing its first parliamentary test. The vote took place after weeks of tension and negotiations within the governing majority.

The measure, which reintroduces preferential voting after decades, establishes a mixed system with blocked list leaders and partially blocked lists. The opposition voted unanimously against it, calling the rule a "fraudulent law" that favors established parties and limits voters' choice. The legislative process is not yet complete: the text will return to the Senate for final approval.

The discussion on electoral reform has begun to modify the current system, the Rosatellum, introduced in 2017. The center-right government, led by Giorgia Meloni, has made it a priority to return to the preference vote, absent from Italian electoral laws since 1993. The debate has focused on the mechanism for expressing these preferences and on guarantees for small political formations.

After intense negotiations, the majority reached an agreement in September: the system provides that voters can express up to three preferences, marking an 'X' on pre-printed names on lists with gender alternation, but with the lead candidates blocked. A controversial point is the new rule for parties without parliamentary representation, which will have to collect thousands of signatures per constituency. The opposition and some committees argue that these rules are unconstitutional and are already preparing appeals, while polls show a fragmented political landscape that may not guarantee any coalition a clear majority.