Electoral law, the runoff in trouble: doubts from the League and Forza Italia

The path to introduce a runoff vote in Italy's new electoral law appears to be stalling. Despite an amendment presented by Brothers of Italy senator Marcello Pera, which provides for a second round if no force exceeds 48% in both Chambers, the proposal is meeting with coolness from government allies. The League and Forza Italia have expressed strong doubts, so much so that the latter has not submitted its own amendments on the point.

The center-right is proceeding united on other fronts, however, presenting a unified amendment that reintroduces vote preferences and eliminates mandatory gender alternation for top-of-the-list candidates. Simultaneously, the so-called 'anti-bush' rule is also being amended—the one that excludes from the calculation for the majority bonus the votes of parties below 3%. Meanwhile, the center-left is preparing for a parliamentary battle with over 650 amendments submitted.

The discussion on electoral law reform, often called 'Melonellum', is a process initiated by the center-right government to define new voting rules. The stated goal is to ensure greater government stability, avoiding the political fragmentation that has characterized some periods of republican history. The law currently in force is the Rosatellum, approved in 2017.

The debate focuses on some key points: the majority bonus (a seat bonus for the winning coalition), the possible introduction of a runoff vote to ensure a clear victory, and the return of preference voting (which allows voters to choose individual candidates within the list). The negotiations are complex because they must mediate between the different needs of the majority parties (FdI, Lega, Forza Italia) and respect constitutional constraints. The current deadlock over the runoff vote precisely reflects these internal tensions within the governing coalition.