Italy

Chamber of Deputies Senate

Senate

Political system: Parliamentary system
Structure of parliament: Bicameral
IPU membership: Yes

Election results

Data on parliamentary elections, including the background, candidates, voter turnout, results and the formation of the new legislature. By default the latest election results are displayed. Select a date to view results from previous elections.

Background

Election date(s): 04 Mar 2018
Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature: 28 Dec 2017
Timing of election: Upon normal expiry
Number of seats at stake: 315
Scope of elections: Full renewal

Candidates

Number of parties contesting the election: 37
Total number of candidates: 1,957
The number of women candidates is not available from authoritative sources.: Yes

Voter turnout

Registered voters: 46,707,900
Voters: 32,459,469
Voter turnout: 69.5%

Results

About the election: The coalition led by Mr. Matteo Salvini’s League (formerly Northern League) became the largest force in both chambers of Parliament but failed to win an outright majority. Mr. Luigi di Maio’s Five Star Movement (M5S) became the second largest force in both chambers, winning nearly double the number of seats won by the coalition led by former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi’s Democratic Party (PD).

After lengthy negotiations, on 28 May, the League and M5S agreed to form a coalition government under law professor Giuseppe Conte, who is not a parliamentarian. Although President Sergio Mattarella initially refused the new Cabinet, a modified composition of the Cabinet was accepted on 31 May. Mr. Conte was sworn in as Prime Minister, succeeding the outgoing Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni (PD). The new Cabinet, which won a vote of confidence in the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies on 5 and 6 June respectively, includes League leader Mr. Salvini as Interior and Deputy Prime Minister and M5S leader Mr. Di Maio as Industry and Deputy Prime Minister.

The 2018 elections (see note) were the first to be held after the refugee crisis of 2015. The major parties focused on the issues of refugees and migration. M5S promised to change the Dublin regulation under which refugees have to seek asylum in the first EU country they reach. The PD promised to cut aid to countries that refuse to accept migrants. A joint policy document of the League-M5S coalition includes commitments to build more detention centres so as to accelerate the deportation of an estimated 500,000 illegal immigrants.

Note:

The 2018 elections were held under the new mixed electoral system, approved by Parliament in October 2017. Under the new law (Rosatellum bis), 37 per cent of the 630 Chamber seats and 315 elective Senate seats are filled through First-Past-the-Post (FPTP) while 63 per cent use the proportional representation system. The new law also provides for a three-per-cent threshold for single parties to be able to enter parliament, and a 10 per cent threshold for coalitions.
Number of parties winning seats: 6
Percentage of parties winning seats: 16.2%
Percentage of seats won by largest party or coalition: 43.5%
Alternation of power after elections: Yes
Number of parties in government: 2
Names of parties in government: Coalition Lega - Forza Italia - FdI - NcI-UdC, Five Star Movement (M5s)*

*Coalition Lega - Forza Italia - FdI - NcI- UdC comprises: the League (Lega), Forza Italia (FI), Brothers of Italy (FdI) and We with Italy (Noi con l'Italia)- Union of the Centre (UdC).

Parties or coalitions winning seats

Parties or coalitions winning seats
Political group	Total
Coalition Lega - Forza Italia - FdI - NcI-UdC	137
Five Star Movement (M5s)	111
Coalition Democratic Party (PD) - +EUROPA" - IEI-CP - SVP-PATT	60
Free and Equal (LeU)	4
Associative Movement of Italians Abroad (MAIE)	1
South American Union of Italian Immigrants (USEI)	1

Members elected, by sex

Number of men elected: 207
Number of women elected: 113

Notes:
As at 23 March 2018, out of 320 senators 113 were women.

- 111 women directly elected (out of 314 senators);

- 2 women appointed by the President of the Republic (out of 5 senators).

In addition, former President Giorgio Napolitano sits in the Senate as ex-officio (life senator).
Percentage of women elected: 35.3%
Women Directly Elected: 113
Other notes on the elections: Number of parties winning seats: 2 coalitions and 4 parties/groups

Number of parties in government: One coalition and one party

Note on the distribution of seats:

- Coalition Lega - Forza Italia - FdI - NcI-UdC comprises: the League (Lega), Forza Italia (FI), Brothers of Italy (FdI) and We with Italy (Noi con l'Italia)-Union of the Centre (UdC).

- Coalition Democratic Party (PD) - "+EUROPA" - IEI-CP - SVP-PATT comprises: the Democratic Party (PD), More Europe (+EUROPA), Italy Europe Together (IEI), the Popular Civic List (CP) and the South Tyrolean People's Party (SVP) - the Trentino Tyrolean Autonomist Party (PATT).

- The Five Star Movement (M5s) won 112 seats but was allotted 111 seats due to lack of candidates on its list. Consequently, there were 314 senators directly elected, instead of 315.
Sources: IPU Group (23.03.2018)

Ministry of Interior

Gazzetta Ufficiale

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New legislature

Total number of men after the election: 207
Total number of women after the election: 113
Percentage of women after the election: 35.3%
First-term parliamentarians: 181
Percentage of first-term parliamentarians: 56.6%
Date of the first session: 24 Mar 2018

First Speaker of the new legislature

Personal details for the first Speaker of the new legislature: Maria Elisabetta Alberti Casellati (Female)
Date of birth: 1946
Political party: Coalition Lega - Forza Italia - FdI - NcI-UdC
Date of election: 24 Mar 2018