Having pulled together a budget in Italy’s Senate, Romano Prodi again hints at changes to the country’s electoral law. Specifics are hard to find, but what’s out there indicates a move toward majoritarianism. Javno.com highlights increasing ‘governability’ and “reducing the number of parliamentarians.” AFP notes “electoral reforms aiming to alleviate the endemic fragmentation of Italian politics.” Similar signals from Australia’s The Age and La Repubblica.

The Democratic Party’s Veltroni wants to keep PR but eliminate the plurality bonus implemented by Berlusconi’s government last year. Under the current law, the pre-election coalition with most votes is automatically topped up to 55% of seats in the Chamber.

Reflecting on the possibility of another referendum, one senator claims most voters just want a “healthy democracy of alternation” with two parties and elections regularly held every five years. If only life were so simple.

Italy changes its electoral law the way one changes socks. These institutions are as much the object of politics as its framework. A fun case to follow, even if the electoral engineers aren’t likely to be vindicated.