The Senate's Constitutional Affairs Committee on Thursday rejected a proposal from Deputy Premierand Transport Minister Matteo Salvini's League party to remove the limit on regional governors serving no more than two terms.
Premier Giorgia Meloni's ruling majority split over the proposal, which was rejected by 16 votes to four.
While the League's representatives voted in favour, those of Meloni's right-wing Brothers of Italy (FDI) party and the other main alliance partner, the centre-right Forza Italia of Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, voted against, as did the main opposition groups, the Democratic Party ( PD) and the 5-StarMovement (M5S).
The issue has reportedly caused tension within the ruling coalition.
Several governors face having to step down the next time their regions hold elections unless the limit is removed.
These include the League's popular Veneto Govenor Luca Zaia.
Zaia has been in charge of the region since 2010 and is already on this third term.
He was able to stand again in 2020 because Veneto did not incorporate the national law setting the two-term limit into its regional election law until 2012.
This meant that, given as the measure cannot be applied retroactively, Zaia's first term did not count in this regard.
Meloni is reported to be against dropping the two-term limit because she wants more regions in the hands of representatives of her di lei FdI di lei in order to reflect the fact that it has become the driving force of the right / centre-right alliance
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA