Elections in Italy

National-level elections in Italy are called periodically to form a parliament consisting of two houses: the Chamber of Deputies (Camera dei Deputati) with 630 members; and the Senate of the Republic (Senato della Repubblica) with 315 elected members, plus a few appointed senators for life. Italy is a parliamentary republic: the President of the Republic is elected for a seven-year term by the two houses of Parliament in joint session, together with special electors appointed by the Regional Councils.

During its history, Italy has had many political parties, both national and regional, with different party systems.

The most recent Italian general election was held on 4 March 2018.

2018 election

The last general election was held on 4 March 2018.

The centre-right alliance, in which Matteo Salvini's League emerged as the main political force, won a plurality of seats in the Chamber of Deputies and in the Senate of the Republic. The anti-establishment Five Star Movement led by Luigi Di Maio became the party with the largest number of votes, and the centre-left coalition, led by former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, came third.[1][2] However, no political group or party won an outright majority, resulting in a hung parliament.

After three months of negotiation, a coalition was finally formed on 1 June between the M5S and the League, whose leaders both became Deputy Prime Ministers in a government led by the M5S-linked independent Giuseppe Conte as Prime Minister.

Chamber of Deputies

Summary of the 4 March 2018 Chamber of Deputies election results
Coalition Party Proportional First-past-the-post Italians abroad Total
seats
±
Votes % Seats Votes % Seats Votes % Seats
Centre-right coalition League (Lega)5,698,68717.357312,152,34537.0049240,07221.432125+109
Forza Italia (FI)4,596,95614.0059461104+1
Brothers of Italy (FdI)1,429,5504.351912032+25
Us with ItalyUdC (NcI–UdC)427,1521.300411,845 1.0904New
Total seats1511113265+140
Five Star Movement (M5S)10,732,06632.6813310,732,06632.6893197,34617.571227+119
Centre-left coalition Democratic Party (PD)6,161,89618.76867,506,72322.8521297,15326.45 5112−180
More Europe (+Eu)841,4682.560264,3505.73 13New
Together (IEI)190,6010.5801N/AN/A01New
Popular Civic List (CP)178,1070.540232.071 2.8502New
SVPPATT134,6510.4122N/AN/A04−1
Total seats88286122−223
Free and Equal (LeU)1,114,7993.38141,114,7993.39064,5235.74014New
Associative Movement Italians Abroad (MAIE)N/AN/A0N/AN/A0107,2369.5511−1
South American Union Italian Emigrants (USEI)N/AN/A0N/AN/A068,2916.0811±0
Total630

Senate of the Republic

Summary of the 4 March 2018 Senate of the Republic election results
Coalition Party Proportional First-past-the-post Italians abroad Total
seats
±
Votes % Seats Votes % Seats Votes % Seats
Centre-right coalition League (Lega)5,321,53717.613711,327,54937.5021226,88521.98058+39
Forza Italia (FI)4,358,00414.433323257–41
Brothers of Italy (FdI)1,286,6064.2679018+18
Us with ItalyUdC (NcI–UdC)361,4021.200410,4041.0404New
Total seats77582137+20
Five Star Movement (M5S)9,733,92832.22689,733,92832.2244174,94817.640112+58
Centre-left coalition Democratic Party (PD)5,783,36019.14436,947,19923.008279,48927.08253–57
More Europe (+Eu)714,8212.370155,6255.3901New
Together (IEI)163,4540.5401N/AN/AN/A1New
Popular Civic List (CP)157,2820.520131,2933.1501New
SVPPATT128,2820.4212N/AN/AN/A3–1
Aosta Valley (VdA)N/AN/AN/A1N/AN/AN/A1±0
Total seats4414260–63
Free and Equal (LeU)991,1593.284991,1593.28055,2795.5704New
Associative Movement Italians Abroad (MAIE)N/AN/A0N/AN/A0110,87910.7411±0
South American Union Italian Emigrants (USEI)N/AN/A0N/AN/A068,2336.6111±0
Total315

Voter turnout

Year Voter turnout Voters Registered voters Population Invalid votes
1946 89.08% 24,947,187 28,005,449 44,994,000 7.70%
1948 92.23% 26,854,203 29,117,554 45,706,000 2.20%
1953 93.87% 28,410,851 30,267,080 47,756,000 4.30%
1958 93.72% 30,399,708 32,436,022 49,041,000 2.80%
1963 92.88% 31,766,058 34,201,660 50,498,000 3.20%
1968 92.79% 33,003,249 35,566,681 52,910,000 3.60%
1972 93.18% 34,524,106 37,049,654 54,410,000 3.20%
1976 93.37% 37,741,404 40,423,131 55,701,000 2.70%
1979 90.35% 38,112,228 42,181,664 56,292,000 3.90%
1983 89.02% 39,114,321 43,936,534 56,836,000 5.70%
1987 88.86% 40,599,490 45,689,829 57,345,000 4.90%
1992 87.44% 41,479,764 47,435,964 56,859,000 5.40%
1994 86.14% 41,461,260 48,135,041 57,049,000 5.90%
1996 82.91% 40,496,438 48,846,238 57,239,000 7.80%
2001 81.44% 40,195,500 49,358,947 57,684,294 7.20%
2006 83.62% 39,298,497 46,997,601 58,103,033 2.90%
2008 80.54% 37,954,253 47,126,326 58,147,733 5.10%
2013 75.19% 35,271,541 46,905,154 61,482,297 3.59%
2018 72.93% 33,923,321 46,505,499 60,589,445 4.33%

Graph of general election results

This graph shows the results of elections held in Italy from 1946 to today, with the percentages of consensus gathered by the various parties and movements displayed by color. Passing your mouse over the different colored sections will display the name of the grouping and the percentage in the corresponding election. Clicking on a region will direct you to the article on the party or election selected.

Graph of Italian general elections

Referendums

The constitution of Italy provides for two kinds of binding referendums.

A legislative referendum can be called in order to abrogate a law totally or partially, if requested by 500,000 electors or five regional councils. This kind of referendum is valid only if at least a majority of electors goes to the polling station. It is forbidden to call a referendum regarding financial laws or laws relating to pardons or the ratification of international treaties.

A constitutional referendum can be called in order to approve a constitutional law or amendment only when it has been approved by the Houses (Chamber of Deputies and Senate of the Republic) with a majority of less than two thirds in both or either House, and only at the request of one fifth of the members of either House, or 500,000 electors or five Regional Councils. A constitutional referendum is valid no matter how many electors go to the polling station. Any citizen entitled to vote in an election to the Chamber of Deputies may participate in a referendum.

See also

References

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