The Italian Parliament did not support the Meloni party's proposal
The party of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni failed to pass one of the key amendments to the electoral law. Parliament rejected her proposal by a margin of just one vote, marking a significant political setback for the government ahead of the elections.
On July 14, the Italian Parliament did not support one of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s party’s main initiatives to reform the electoral system. According to Reuters, this was a serious blow to the government less than a year before the general election. Lawmakers were considering a bill that would have transitioned to a fully proportional electoral system. Additionally, the bill proposed granting extra seats to the coalition that wins the election.
One of the most important amendments was Meloni’s party’s initiative to reinstate preferential voting. Such a system allows voters to support not only a political party but also specific candidates on the party list. However, during a secret ballot, this proposal failed to secure the necessary number of votes. The amendment was rejected by a narrow margin—188 deputies voted against it, while 187 voted in favor.
The result came as a surprise, as partners in the ruling coalition had previously stated that they would support this initiative. The voting results indicate that some members of the majority ultimately did not vote in line with the government. The opposition has already called this a sign that Giorgia Meloni no longer has full control over the parliamentary majority.
Despite the failure of this amendment, the debate over electoral reform in Italy continues. For the Meloni government, this issue remains a key one ahead of the parliamentary elections scheduled for next year.
Commenting on the situation, opposition representatives stated that the voting results showed a weakening of the ruling party’s position. The government, however, has not yet publicly announced whether it plans to resubmit this initiative to parliament for consideration, according to Reuters.
The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has decided to expel two military attachés from the Russian Embassy in Rome. According to Italian officials, the diplomats are believed to be involved in espionage activities on behalf of Moscow.
As a reminder, a former intelligence officer was detained in Italy on suspicion of spying for Russia.
Following the arrest of the former Italian ambassador to Uzbekistan, Piergabriele Papadia de Bottini di Sant’Agnese, Italian visa centers in Russia introduced stricter rules for submitting applications for Schengen visas.
Italy has rejected Donald Trump’s accusations of allegedly insufficient participation in joint U.S. security missions, particularly in the Strait of Hormuz. Officials in Rome emphasize that, on the contrary, the country has offered assistance, and cooperation with Washington remains functional and mutual.
