Italy’s senate approves proposed constitutional reform

The Italian Senate has approved a controversial constitutional reform put forward by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government. A total of 109 members voted in favour of the reform in the smaller of the two chambers of Parliament in Rome on Tuesday, with 77 against. The reform still faces several more hurdles before it can become law. [ . . . ]

The 109 votes secured in the Senate fell well short of the two-thirds majority needed for constitutional changes in both chambers in Italy. It is also not expected to receive such a majority in the Chamber of Deputies. If the two-thirds majorities are not secured, the measure has to be put to a referendum.