2022 Italian parliamentary election



Today (September 25th) citizens of Italy go to polls to vote in general elections! These are snap, as originally end of current term was supposed to happen in mid-2023.

Italian parliament is bicameral and consists of lower **Chamber of Deputies** (*Camera dei deputati*) and upper **Senate**. As a result of constitutional changes passed in 2020 referendum, both were reduced in size, respectively 400 and 200 down from 630 and 315. In addition, voting age for the Senate was reduced from 25 to 18 years old (same as Chamber of Deputies).

Above-mentioned changes slightly modified electoral system as well, and in the result both deputies and senators are going to be elected via a mixed system: 63% (253 deputies and 126 senators; including 8 and 4 voted abroad) in multi-member constituencies, by proportional representation, and closed party lists; and 37% (147 deputies and 74 senators) in single-member constituencies, by plurality (FPTP). Electoral threshold is 3% in multi-member constituencies, and 1% in single-member (with additional provision of candidate’s party being part of a coalition which passes 10%).

Turnout in last (2018) elections was 73%.

Relevant parties and alliances taking part in the elections are:

Name|Leader|Position|Affiliation|2018 result|Recent polling|**Results**|Seats (CoD/S)
:–|:–|:–|:–|–:|–:|–:|:–
[Brothers of Italy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brothers_of_Italy) (FdI)|[Giorgia Meloni](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giorgia_Meloni)|right-wing to far-right (national conservative, neo-fascist)|ECR|4.4%|23-27%|TBA|/
[Democratic Party](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Party_(Italy\)) (PD)|[Enrico Letta](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enrico_Letta)|centre-left (social democracy)|PES|18.8%|20-25%|TBA|/
[Five Star Movement](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Star_Movement) (M5S)|[Giuseppe Conte](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giuseppe_Conte)|big tent populist|none|32.7%|12-14%|TBA|/
[Lega](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lega_(political_party\))|[Matteo Salvini](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matteo_Salvini)|right-wing (populism)|I&D|17.4%|10-15%|TBA|/
[Forward Italy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forza_Italia_(2013\)) (FI)|[Silvio Berlusconi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silvio_Berlusconi)|centre-right (liberal conservative)|EPP|14.0%|6-10%|TBA|/
[Action](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_(Italian_political_party\)) & [Italy Alive](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italia_Viva) (A-IV)|[Carlo Calenda](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlo_Calenda) & [Matteo Renzi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matteo_Renzi)|centre (liberal)|Renew Europe|-|6-8%|TBA|/
[Greens & Left](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greens_and_Left_Alliance) (AVS)|[Angelo Bonelli](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angelo_Bonelli), [Nicola Fratoianni](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicola_Fratoianni)|left to left-wing (socialist, green)|GUE/NGL & Greens/EFA|-|3-4%|TBA|/
[More Europe](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/More_Europe) (+E)|[Emma Bonino](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emma_Bonino)|centre (liberal)|ALDE|2.6%|2-3%|TBA|/
[Italexit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italexit_(political_party\))|[Gianluigi Paragone](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gianluigi_Paragone)|big tent (Eurosceptic)|none|-|2-3%|TBA|/
[Us Moderates](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Us_Moderates) (NM)|[Maurizio Lupi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurizio_Lupi)|centre-right (liberal conservative)|none|1.3%|1-2%|TBA|/
[Civic Commitment](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civic_Commitment) (IC)|[Luigi Di Maio](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luigi_Di_Maio)|centre (green)|none|-|1-2%|TBA|/
[People’s Union](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People%27s_Union_(Italy\)) (UP)|[ Luigi de Magistris](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luigi_de_Magistris_(politician\))|left-wing to far-left (socialist, communist)|none|-|1%|TBA|/

Take in mind, that polling is based on data from early September, as law in Italy forbids to publish polls during two weeks before the election.

There are two major multi-list election coalitions: FdI, Lega, FI and NM belong to the **right**; while PD, +E, IC and AVS to the **left**. M5S is a major party which runs alone of both these.

**Further reading**

[Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_Italian_general_election)

[Politico](https://www.politico.eu/italy-parliamentary-election-2022/)

[Euronews](https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2022/09/23/italy-election-explained-why-now-who-is-running-how-does-it-work-who-is-likely-to-win)

[Italian election campaign ends as far right bids for power](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-63015911) (BBC)

[Italy’s Election Is the First Test of the West’s Anti-Putin Resolve](https://www.wsj.com/articles/italys-election-is-the-first-test-of-the-wests-anti-putin-resolve-11663943220) (WSJ)

[Hobbits and the Hard Right: How Lord of the Rings Inspires Italy’s Potential New Leader](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/21/world/europe/giorgia-meloni-lord-of-the-rings.html) (NYT, semi-paywall)

[Why fascism still has a hold on Italy](https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2022/9/24/elections-why-fascism-still-has-a-hold-on-italy) (Al Jazeera)

We shall leave detailed commentary (and any interesting trivia!) on elections and campaign, to our Italian users, or anyone else with more knowledge what happens in politics down south.

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