Italy: Ahead of 2018 Elections, Parliament Takes Another Step Toward Electoral Reform

The Italian Parliament has made more progress in its decadeslong attempts to develop a better political system that would enable governments to form more easily after elections. In the past 25 years, Italy has approved four electoral reform laws, and on Oct. 12, the lower chamber of Parliament approved a fifth. Members voted in favor of a new law designed to allow the country's legislature to function more effectively by increasing the likelihood of a clear majority after elections. The law would streamline election rules for the lower house and the Senate so that they both follow the same process, which would assign two-thirds of seats proportionally and the remaining third by a majoritarian system....