Italy's coalition government led by Giorgia Meloni experienced a key defeat on an amendment tied to electoral reform, representing a notable challenge before the general election set for next year.

During a secret ballot held in Italy's lower house of parliament on Wednesday evening, lawmakers turned down a measure promoted by her Brothers of Italy party by a margin of 188 votes to 187, suggesting that some coalition members opposed the change.

In a sharp social media response following the outcome, Meloni described it as a lost chance for the Italian people.

She noted that opposition celebrations resembled a World Cup victory simply for blocking citizens from selecting their own parliamentarians, highlighting the festive reactions from rival groups in the chamber.

Meloni avoided responding to opposition demands for her resignation and an early general election, now slated for autumn 2027.

The reform aims to introduce a fully proportional voting system that grants a bonus to the leading party or alliance, even without an outright majority.

Coalitions would need to align on a shared agenda and nominate one prime ministerial candidate, a requirement that could prove difficult for parties accustomed to independent campaigns.

The rejected amendment concerned preference voting, which would have let voters pick specific candidates from lists. Despite this setback, the government may proceed with other aspects of the reform package.

Meloni has maintained that the changes would foster more stable coalitions and reduce governmental fragility.

Opposition groups, however, labeled the proposal authoritarian and an effort to lock in a majority for the coming election.

Since 2022, Meloni has headed a centre-right and right-wing coalition that includes her own hard-right Brothers of Italy party.

Internal strains have grown as individual party support has waned, with junior partners expressing doubts before the vote that ultimately led to the amendment's failure.

At the same time, centre-left and left-wing opposition groups are organizing a unified challenge to Meloni next year, heightening the pressure.

They succeeded earlier in a joint effort against a government-backed constitutional referendum in spring, delivering the first significant reversal for her administration.

To secure a stronger majority in the next vote, Meloni may need to expand her base toward the centre or align with more radical factions like Roberto Vannacci's new National Future party.

Vannacci, a former paratrooper, founded the group this year after leaving Matteo Salvini's League. It advocates Eurosceptic and hard-right policies including remigration and currently stands at about 6 percent in polls, ahead of the League's 5.6 percent.

Absent an early election or cabinet changes, a September 2027 vote would make Meloni the first Italian prime minister since 1946 to complete a full term under a single government.