103 years after Mussolini: Giorgia Meloni's new law raises concerns in Italy

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is advancing a law to increase the number of parliamentary seats, dubbed "Stabilicum" by supporters and "Melonium" by critics. The vote will be defined as a confidence vote in a secret ballot, and critics compare the move to a law from the Mussolini era, warning of harm to democracy. The opposition has pledged to petition the Constitutional Court if the law is approved.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is promoting a controversial bill to increase the number of parliamentary seats, a step that raises serious concerns in Italy and draws comparisons to laws from the Benito Mussolini era. Supporters of the bill call it "Stabilicum," hoping it will ensure governmental stability in a country that has seen 68 different governments since 1946. Critics, on the other hand, call it "Melonium" and argue it is tailored to the current government ahead of next year's elections. Beyond the seat increase, the bill requires coalitions to declare their candidate for prime minister in advance, a step opponents say undermines the president's exclusive authority. There is also concern about worsening gender inequality in parliament, as most leading candidates are expected to be men. The upcoming vote will be defined as a confidence vote in a secret ballot. The opposition has pledged to petition the Constitutional Court if the law is approved, in an attempt to block what they perceive as a danger to Italian democracy.