The new Italian electoral system: majority-assuring but minority-friendly

Abstract

Italy has a new electoral system for parliamentary elections. It is the third since 1993. It was approved in May 2015, but it will come into force on 1 July 2016. It replaces the present proportional system for the Chamber of Deputies, but not that for the Senate. A constitutional reform, which is under way, aims at transforming the Senate into a second chamber without the authority to consider motions of confidence, and limited powers. The new electoral system – nicknamed the Italicum – is a majority-assuring system agreed upon by the leader of the Democratic Party, Matteo Renzi, and the leader of Forza Italia, Silvio Berlusconi. Thanks to a seat bonus, it guarantees an absolute majority (of 340 seats) to the list that obtains at least 40% of the votes or to the list winning a run-off if no list wins 40% at the first round. The losers will share 278 seats. There is a 3% threshold at the national level for entitlement to seats. The Italicum represents an appropriate balance between the objective of promoting government stability and that of representing minorities. Essentially, it gives voters the power to choose ‘directly’ who will govern the country. In this regard, it introduces at the national level a pattern of government similar to that introduced at the local and regional levels starting in 1993.