Italy's Meloni forces through new electoral law ahead of vote, opposition cries foul

Key Points:

• Italy's lower house of parliament approved a new electoral reform bill, championed by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, introducing a fully proportional system with a seat bonus for alliances winning over 42% of the vote.
• Meloni argues the reform aims to ensure stable government, while the centre-left opposition claims it is designed to boost Meloni's chances of retaining power.
• The reform requires coalitions or parties running independently to name their prime ministerial candidate before elections, creating challenges for the centre-left due to internal leadership conflicts.
• The bill's passage followed months of coalition tensions, particularly over candidate selection powers, resulting in a compromise that preserves party leaders' influence on parliamentary candidate lists.
• Despite initial polling advantages for Meloni's rightist bloc, recent shifts and the emergence of a new far-right party have complicated the political landscape, with some analysts suggesting the reform could backfire on the ruling coalition.