In Trieste, an amendment was tabled which could ensure the election of a representative of the Slovenian community

The Slovenian minority in Italy faces the possibility of losing its voice in parliament after the right-wing government led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has accelerated efforts to amend the electoral law. This potential change could mean that on upcoming parliamentary elections—expected to take place in autumn 2027, though some speculate they might occur as early as April 2027—the Slovenian community will fail to elect any representatives to either the Chamber of Deputies or the Senate. If this were to happen, it would mark the first time since 1954 that no Slovenian representative would sit in Rome’s parliament. For decades, following the transfer of Trieste to Italian administration under the London Memorandum in 1954, the Communist Party ensured the election of one Slovenian representative in each legislative body, whether as a deputy or a senator. The two chambers of the Italian Parliament are constitutionally equal, requiring all laws to be passed in identical wording in both houses.

In the last elections held in 2022, Senator Tatjana Rojc was elected to the Senate on the Democratic Party's list in the Trieste-Gorizia electoral district. However, her election was not guaranteed but rather a result of the Democratic Party's decision to include her on their candidate list. With the new electoral reform being pushed forward by Meloni’s government, the future of such representation now hangs in the balance. The current proposal does not mention any provision for the Slovenian minority in either chamber of parliament, prompting the Democratic Party to introduce an amendment aimed at ensuring their continued presence.

Senator Rojc, alongside Deputy Debora Serracchiani, presented the proposed amendment during a press conference in Trieste. The amendment is designed to encourage political parties to ensure the inclusion of Slovenian candidates on their lists. It outlines a mechanism where, if no Slovenian candidate is directly elected in a given party list, the last elected member of that list would be replaced by a Slovenian candidate. This system mirrors the approach used for the Ladin minority in Trentino-Alto Adige, allowing for protection of the Slovenian minority without altering the number of seats allocated to Friuli-Venezia Giulia.

Rojc emphasized the international significance of the issue, noting that Slovenia had historically been active in advocating for the rights of the Italian minority in Slovenia, including urging Prime Minister Janez Janša to intervene with the Italian government. She expressed hope that the new Slovenian government would support the Italian government in ensuring the continuation of this representation.

Deputy Serracchiani described the amendment as a “stress test” for Meloni’s center-right coalition, which has often spoken about openness towards the Slovenian community and claimed it would reconsider the electoral law. However, she noted that the primary motivation behind the new electoral law appears to be the acquisition of full powers rather than ensuring stability. Gianni Cuperlo, also commenting on the matter, highlighted that the representation of the Slovenian minority in the Italian Parliament had previously relied on the goodwill of political parties. He warned that while many have called for the removal of the amendment, the debate in the Chamber of Deputies would continue until its conclusion.

The Chamber of Deputies is expected to vote on the proposed law in the first half of July, followed by consideration in the Senate. Discussions surrounding the reform of the electoral system began in late March, with the coalition led by Meloni aiming to implement it before the end of its term. The proposed system would exclusively use a proportional representation model, granting additional seats to coalitions securing over 40 percent of the votes in both chambers. This would secure a majority for Meloni’s coalition and potentially improve her chances of re-election in 2027.

Despite the legal obligations outlined in Article 26 of the protective law for Slovenians in Italy, enacted in 2001, the question of their representation remains unresolved after 25 years. The amendment introduced by the Democratic Party seeks to address this gap, ensuring that the Slovenian minority continues to have a voice in the Italian Parliament even under the new electoral framework. The outcome of these discussions will determine whether the Slovenian community retains its long-standing presence in Italy’s legislative bodies.