Italy's opposition parties are ramping up pressure for snap elections after Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's ruling coalition suffered a narrow defeat in parliament.
A key electoral reform amendment was rejected by just one vote in the lower house on Tuesday.
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The proposed amendment would have allowed voters to rank candidates on electoral lists, increasing public input in the process.
Meloni's government had hoped the reform would strengthen its position ahead of a general election expected next year.
Reports indicate that between 20 and 25 members of Meloni's coalition broke ranks during the secret ballot.
This setback follows a failed referendum on judicial reforms in March, adding to the government's challenges.
Opposition Leaders React
Elly Schlein, leader of the centre-left Democratic Party, said it was time for Meloni to step down.
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She argued that Italy needs a government capable of addressing the country's problems.
Former Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte echoed the call, demanding that Meloni take responsibility and hold early elections. Opposition lawmakers celebrated the vote, chanting for elections and Meloni's resignation.
Meloni expressed frustration on social media, writing, "The swamp won again."
She called the failed amendment "a missed opportunity for the Italian people" and criticized the opposition for pushing for a secret ballot.
Luca Ciriani, a senator from Meloni's Brothers of Italy party, defended the coalition's stability.
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He described the dissenting lawmakers as "snipers" disrupting unity and insisted the government would not end its experience.
