Giorgia Meloni calls confidence vote on electoral reform and links bill to government survival

Confidence motion on electoral reform

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced on 16 September 2026 that her government will call a vote of confidence on its proposed electoral reform when the bill returns to the Chamber of Deputies. The legislation, approved by the Senate on 15 September 2026, reintroduces candidate preference voting alongside a proportional allocation system with a majority bonus for coalitions that attain 42% of the vote. The measure, dubbed the Stabilicum by proponents and the Melonellum by opposition parties, also removes alternating gender requirements from candidate lists. Meloni tied the parliamentary vote directly to the survival of her cabinet, confirming that a defeat would lead to early national elections before first-term lawmakers qualify for parliamentary pensions.

Meloni addressed reporters at Palazzo Chigi following a Council of Ministers meeting alongside Deputy Prime Ministers Antonio Tajani and Matteo Salvini. She cited the defeat of an earlier preferences amendment in the Chamber in July 2026 as the reason for the procedural move, seeking to prevent secret-ballot defections by coalition lawmakers. Meloni stated that the reform will ensure voters directly choose their coalition, prime ministerial candidate, governing program, and local parliamentarian.

“I believe it is a matter of clarity to put the confidence vote on a law that has preferences within it.”

Coalition dynamics and opposition resistance

Opposition parties pledged concerted resistance against the measure ahead of its scheduled arrival in the Chamber of Deputies on 28 September 2026. Democratic Party leader Elly Schlein stated that the opposition will attempt to defeat the parliamentary majority during the floor votes. Meloni also addressed political tensions regarding Roberto Vannacci and his party, Futuro Nazionale, which currently polls near 8% (one point above Forza Italia and 2.5 points above Lega). Meloni dismissed suggestions of forming an electoral alliance with Vannacci, noting that his lawmakers were elected on center-right lists but now vote with the opposition.

“For me it is always much more important to win in order to govern than to win in order not to govern.”

Meloni additionally defended Salvini regarding his recent meeting with Italian business representatives and the Russian ambassador. She described the meeting as standard diplomatic practice, noting that Italy maintains an accredited Russian embassy in Rome and has not severed bilateral diplomatic relations.

Vehicle tax abolition and fiscal measures

During the same cabinet meeting, the government approved the abolition of the annual vehicle ownership tax starting in 2027. The tax cut applies to an individual's primary owned vehicle up to a specified engine power threshold, mirroring earlier center-right tax exemptions for primary residential properties. Meloni stated that the policy provides relief on property ownership rather than imposing wealth taxes, while the Ministry of Economy and Finance works to identify budgetary coverage to make the cut permanent. The fiscal decision coincides with broader economic conditions that include projected annual growth of 1% and the management of 200 billion euros in European recovery funds.

Chamber timeline and parliamentary risks

The electoral legislation returns to the Chamber of Deputies for debate on 28 September 2026, with final votes scheduled for early October. While a confidence motion forces an open roll-call vote on the government's mandate, parliamentary procedures still permit a subsequent secret ballot on the final bill. Similar procedural conditions previously affected Prime Minister Francesco Cossiga on 27 September 1980, when his economic decree passed a confidence vote 329 to 264 but failed the final secret ballot 298 to 297, prompting his resignation. Meloni reiterated that she intends to govern until the end of the term provided the parliamentary majority remains cohesive, establishing the upcoming October ballot as the decisive test for government stability.