Italian Prime Minister Meloni Suffers Narrow Defeat on Electoral Reform Vote

Both the right-wing Lega and the conservative Forza Italia had announced they would vote in favor of reintroducing the preference vote. Despite these pledges, the numbers ultimately did not add up. Lawmakers from the government camp must therefore not have adhered to the agreement.

Meloni's Reaction to the Defeat

Meloni responded to the defeat with the words: "Wir haben es versucht. Der Sumpf hat wieder einmal gesiegt." The statement was published by her party and was clearly directed at those forces she considers to be a blocking political class.

The reform currently being debated in the Chamber of Deputies is intended to fundamentally alter Italy's existing electoral system with a view to next year's parliamentary elections. It provides for a pure proportional representation system with a majority bonus for the winning coalition. The aim is to enable a stable governing majority in the future.

A key element of the plan is the direct election of the head of government. Meloni had long advocated a fundamental electoral reform intended to make the Italian system more stable. Meloni argues that Italy needs stable political conditions.

Opposition Accusations

The opposition, meanwhile, accuses Meloni of seeking to change the electoral system in her own favor ahead of the parliamentary election. Representatives of the center-left camp interpreted the defeat in the vote as a sign that the prime minister no longer has full control over her parliamentary majority. Members of the opposition in the Italian parliament accused Meloni of no longer having her majority under control.

Some opposition politicians have already called for her resignation. Demands for new elections were voiced immediately after the vote. The decision is seen as a setback for the prime minister with regard to the parliamentary elections expected next year.

It is, however, likely that Meloni will press on with her plan despite the defeat. Meloni is suspected of intending to push her project through despite the parliamentary loss. The electoral reform still has to clear further parliamentary hurdles.

Second Setback Within a Few Months

The setback is already the second within a few months for the prime minister. Back in the spring, Meloni failed with plans for a fundamental justice reform, when Italians rejected it by a clear majority in a referendum.

Regardless of the latest defeat, Meloni's standing with voters remains stable. Meloni and her party have led in polls by a stable margin over all other political forces for a long time. If she remains in office beyond the summer break, she would in early September become the longest continuously serving Italian prime minister.

The summer break is considered the likely point at which Meloni will remain in office for the time being. Observers expect that she will not initiate her next political steps until after the break.

Tensions with Washington

Independently of the electoral reform debate, relations between Meloni and US President Donald Trump have also recently suffered damage. Trump publicly claimed that Meloni had asked him for a joint photo at the G7 summit in Évian, which visibly cooled what had previously been regarded as a good relationship. This episode shows that Meloni is also under pressure on the foreign policy front.

Overall, the defeat in the vote illustrates the growing tensions within the Italian governing coalition. The narrow defeat was recorded on Tuesday evening in Rome, as reported by the dpa news agency.

The outcome of the vote also makes clear how vulnerable even comfortable parliamentary majorities can be when votes are held by secret ballot. The analysis of the vote will continue to shape the political debate in Rome in the days ahead.

Outlook on the Parliamentary Hurdles

Meloni now faces the task of closing the ranks of her coalition in order to still steer the reform through parliament. The coming weeks before the summer break could determine whether the plan still has a chance in this legislative term.

The report was broadcast on 15.07.2026 on the Deutschlandfunk program. It was also reported that the opposition called for Meloni's resignation and new elections immediately after the vote.