A La Conidiplomatico columnist says the reform dubbed “Melonellum” by opponents could make it harder for new parties to contest elections, focusing on a proposed rise in required signatures from 1,500–2,000 to 6,000–7,000 per constituency.
This is the columnist’s assessment, not an established legal conclusion about the bill’s constitutionality. The author argues that the higher threshold would impede parties without parliamentary representation and strengthen the position of forces already in Parliament.
The proposed change itself is reflected in parliamentary documents and Italian reporting. The bill sets a requirement of 6,000 to 7,000 signatures per multi-member constituency for lists not covered by an exemption; the previous threshold under discussion was 1,500–2,000. La Repubblica reported that opposition parties sought to revise the requirement and that the Chamber of Deputies continued voting on the reform on October 7.
The column uses sharply political language, calling the law a “coup” and linking it to restrictions on new political movements. Those are the publication’s views and do not establish that the bill is unconstitutional or prevents citizens from voting. The nationwide signature totals in the column are presented as the author’s estimate.