Election type

Voting from Abroad: The International IDEA Handbook, page 83

"In addition to providing for the external vote for elections to the legislature and referendums, the constitutional reforms approved in Italy in 2000 stated that citizens abroad are provided with representation in both chambers of the parliament—12 seats in the House of Representatives and six in the Senate. These constitutional arrangements were regulated by a specific law enacted in early 2002, a few months after the May 2001 elections, and Italians abroad would gain political representation only after the subsequent legislative elections. For that purpose, the law foresaw the creation of four electoral districts abroad: one for Europe, another one for South America, the third for North America and Central America and the last to cover Africa, Asia, Oceania and Antarctica, for both chambers. For every district a minimum of one deputy seat and one senator seat will be assigned, and the remaining ones will be distributed in accordance with the number of external voters. External voting took place for the first time in a referendum held in May 2003."

Constitution of the Italian Republic

Art. 48: Any citizen, male or female,who has attained majority, is entitled to vote.

The vote is personal and equal, free and secret. The exercise thereof is a civic duty. The law lays downthe requirements and modalities for citizens residing abroad to exercise their right to vote and guarantees that this right is effective. A constituency of Italians abroad shall be established for elections to the Houses of Parliament; the number of seats of such constituency is set forth in a constitutional provision according to criteria established by law.

The right to vote cannot be restricted except for civil incapacity or as a consequence of an irrevocable penal sentence or in cases of moral unworthiness as laid down by law.

Art. 75 [...]Any citizen entitled to votefor the Chamber of deputies has the right to vote in a referendum. 

Law 459 of 27 December 2001 Provisions governing the right to vote of Italian citizens resident abroad

Article 1

1. Italian citizens resident abroad, registered in the register of electors as set forth in Article 5, paragraph 1, shall vote in the Overseas Constituency, pursuant to Article 48 ofthe Constitution, for the election of the Chambers and for the referendums envisaged by Articles 75 and 138 of the Constitution, within the limits and forms envisaged by the present law.

2. The electors referred to in paragraph 1 shall vote by post.

3. The electors referred to in paragraph 1 may exercise the right to vote in Italy, and in this case shall vote in the constituency on Italian territory corresponding to the electoral division in which they are registered, subject to their exercising the optionto do so. This option shall be exercised separately for each poll and shall be valid only for this same poll.

For EU Parliamentary Elections see below:

European elections, Your right to vote, accessed 24 February 2019

Out of country voting modalities remain the same as of March 2018, as indicated in the OSCE/ODIHR Needs Assessment Mission Report on Parliamentary Elections, 4 March 2018.