Italy has changed how it will choose its next parliament, and the fight over it is not over.

Lawmakers in the Chamber of Deputies gave final approval Thursday to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's new election law. The secret vote was 227 to 164, La Repubblica reported.

The law gives a big reward to the winner. Any coalition that wins at least 42% of the vote gets a bonus of 70 seats in the Chamber and 35 in the Senate, with caps of 220 deputies and 113 senators, The Hindu reported. If no group reaches 42%, seats are shared by vote share. Coalitions need at least 10% of the vote and single parties 3% to win seats.

The law also ends the seats once won by the top vote-getter in each district. For the first time, ballots will name each coalition's candidate for prime minister. New parties will need 6,000 signatures instead of 1,500 to run.

Meloni says the changes mean stability. "Stable governments and greater participation mean more continuity, more accountability," she wrote after the vote.

Critics see a power grab. Opposition leader Giuseppe Conte called it a "convoluted scheme devised solely to find a formula to gain an advantage in the upcoming elections," The Hindu reported. Lawmakers held up signs reading "Rigged electoral law" during the vote.

The stakes are high. The next election is due by 2027. The parliament chosen then will help pick Italy's next president in early 2029, La Repubblica noted.

Opposition parties plan to challenge the law in court. La Repubblica said the Constitutional Court could take it up in February, though insiders doubt it will be struck down.

The date is still open. One Meloni adviser wants a vote in June, while Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani prefers October.

What we know: the vote count and the 42% bonus rule.
What we don't: whether Italy's top court will let the law stand.