Cagliari Court receives legal challenge against Italian electoral law

A legal challenge has been filed with the ordinary court in Cagliari contesting the constitutionality of Law no. 180 of 2026. The appeal, signed by lawyers Giovanni Dore, Carlo Augusto Melis, and Alessandro Tedde, targets several provisions of the new electoral law, including the majority prize, the removal of candidate preferences for list leaders, the process for designating the Prime Minister candidate, and increased signature requirements for non-represented parties.

The plaintiffs argue that the law violates fundamental constitutional principles, specifically regarding voting equality, voter freedom, political pluralism, and the balance of the parliamentary government. The law, which came into effect on October 24, remains fully operational while the court reviews the case.

The Cagliari filing is part of a broader national initiative coordinated by a network of lawyers to submit similar appeals across 25 other Italian Courts of Appeal. The goal is to prompt the Court of Constitutional Matters to review the legitimacy of the legislation. The legal action is currently a civil proceeding; the Cagliari court must first decide whether to refer these constitutional questions to the high court.