Italian parties swap parliamentary seats to bypass signature requirement for new lists

The latest electoral reform forces groups without a parliamentary representative to gather a substantial number of signatures to field a list. Rather than launching signature drives, a growing number of politicians are creating a market for parliamentary seats, allowing parties to meet the requirement by acquiring or borrowing an MP. Early movers like Roberto Vannacci targeted independent members, while Alessandro Onorato pledged to supply signatures himself, later turning to Luigi Nave from the Five Star Movement. Other actors, including Andrea Crisanti, Cateno De Luca, Riccardo Magi, and Marco Rizzo, have also been linked to similar seat-sharing arrangements, illustrating a bipartisan effort to sidestep the signature hurdle.