Italy will go to vote on March 4, 2018, for a new parliament under a new law, Rosatellum bis, in a parallel voting system, which acts as a mixed system.

The Senate of the Republic has 315 elected members

116 Directly elected in single-member districts.

193 Regional proportional representation.

6 are elected by the Italians abroad.

Senators-for-life includes former presidents of the Republic and several other persons appointed for life by a president of the Republic - no more than 5. The Senate is elected on a single ballot.

The Chamber of Deputies had 630 members

232 are directly elected in single-member districts.

386 are elected by national proportional representation.

12 are elected by the Italians abroad.

Candidates

Silvio Berlusconi - Forza Italia.

Matteo Renzi - Democratic Party (PD)

Luigi Di Maio - M5S

Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia party is in alliance with the Northern League which is led by far-right politician Matteo Salvini other right-wing parties.

While Berlusconi is barred from running in the elections and cannot become prime minister, owing to a 2013 tax fraud conviction, his party was polling at an average of 36 percent as of the most recent polls.

Coalition

Center-right coalition: Forza Italia, Northern League, Brothers of Italy and Us with Italy.

Center-left coalition: The PD (currently in power), Piu' Europa (More Europe, a pro-European party), Lista Insieme and Civica Popolare.

Now, M5S, despite recent allegations of corruption, is even stronger. It’s likely to emerge from this election as the largest party. But it looks unlikely to secure enough of a majority to govern alone and it continues to refuse to form coalitions with other parties

Source: Al Jazeera