“If it is rejected, I will resign”… Meloni's game-changing election law amendment passed

(Rome = Yonhap News) Correspondent Min Gyeong-rak = The election law amendment, which depends on Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's confidence, was finally passed by the National Assembly.

According to Reuters and Associated Press on the 8th (local time), the Italian House of Representatives passed this bill with 227 votes in favor and 164 against.

The reform plan included provisions to guarantee a majority of seats by granting additional seats in the Senate and House of Representatives to the coalition of political parties with a vote rate exceeding 42%. Prime Minister Meloni made a political bet, saying he would resign if this election law reform bill is rejected.

This election system reform is the fifth since 1990. In Italy, it is not unfamiliar for the ruling party to push for a reform of the electoral system in a favorable direction ahead of the general election.

The justification for reforming the electoral system usually put forward by the ruling party and government is that political chaos may increase if neither ruling nor opposition party secures a majority of seats.

Giuseppe Conte, leader of the opposition Five Star Movement (M5S), criticized the new election law, saying, "The new election law is designed to find a formula that will give us an advantage in the upcoming elections."

However, there are also observations that it will not be easy for either camp to secure a majority in the general election scheduled for next year. Prime Minister Meloni is leading the longest-serving government in history, but there is analysis that he has recently been losing support to the far-right party Future of the Nation.

Prime Minister Meloni's term ends in October next year, but there is persistent talk that the election could be brought forward to April or May next year.