Italian Electoral Law Reform Advances to Chamber Debate

A reform of Italy's electoral law, dubbed "Bignami bis," has cleared the Constitutional Affairs Committee of the Chamber of Deputies. The proposed changes are set to be presented for general discussion in the full chamber on Friday morning. Following July, the examination process may be subject to time constraints as per parliamentary regulations.

The reform's path forward is not entirely smooth, as a key point of contention remains the issue of candidate preferences. Amendments proposed by the Azione (Action) party and a faction within the Vannacci movement, which would allow for preferences, have been set aside for now. It is uncertain if these amendments will be put to a vote.

Instead, focus appears to be shifting towards finding a solution for signature collection requirements. This includes proposals, such as one from Azione, to exempt political parties with established parliamentary groups in the Chamber or Senate, provided they were formed by December 31, 2025. This specific criterion could effectively exclude newer or smaller political entities like Futuro Nazionale and +Europa.

The committee rejected an amendment from +Europa seeking digital signature collection by a vote of 16 to 9, with two abstentions. Similar amendments from other groups were also defeated. The exemption for signature collection is expected to benefit approximately four parliamentary groups, a measure Matteo Richetti of Azione defended as consistent with previous practices aimed at upholding the principle of representation.