Italian Referendum Defeat Weakens Meloni Ahead Of Next Election
Voters rejected a Meloni-backed judicial reform with roughly 53.5–54% 'No', high turnout near 58–60%, and the loss strengthens the centre-left ahead of next year's election.
BBC NewsReferendum defeat leaves Italy's Meloni looking more vulnerable
Al JazeeraItaly’s Meloni concedes referendum defeat, calling it ‘a lost opportunity’
PBS NewsHourItalian voters reject judicial reform in setback for Meloni
The GuardianItalian voters reject Giorgia Meloni’s plan to overhaul judiciary
ABC NewsItalian voters reject judicial reform in a setback for Premier Giorgia Meloni
Overview
Italian voters rejected a Meloni-backed judicial reform in a two-day referendum, with the 'No' camp winning roughly 53.5% to 54% of the vote, according to Interior Ministry results.
The referendum became a de facto confidence test on Premier Giorgia Meloni and sought to separate judges and prosecutors and reshape the judiciary's oversight bodies.
Meloni conceded and said she would respect the result, regretting a 'lost opportunity' while pledging to complete her mandate through 2027.
Turnout was roughly 58% to 60% according to Interior Ministry data, and the campaign energized the centre-left while exposing divisions within Meloni's right-wing coalition.
The result boosts the centre-left opposition, which has pledged unity ahead of national elections due next year, and raises questions about the stability of Meloni's governing coalition.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the defeat as a blow to Meloni's leadership and Italy's stability, using evaluative language ("stinging setback"), prioritizing analyst and opposition voices (Jess Middleton, Elly Schlein), and emphasizing internal divisions and international implications (Trump, Iran). Meloni's statements are presented but receive less contextual reinforcement, minimizing government defenses.
FAQ
The reform would have separated the careers of judges and prosecutors, preventing them from switching between roles during their careers.[1][3] It would have restructured the High Judicial Council (CSM) by dividing it into separate councils for judges and prosecutors and creating a new 15-member disciplinary court.[4] Members would have been selected by lottery rather than through internal elections or peer voting, with some positions filled from lists compiled by parliament.
Meloni framed the reform as necessary to 'unblock' policies on security and irregular migration that she claimed were hindered by judges she characterized as 'red judges.'[1] The government presented the reform as ensuring impartiality in the courts and addressing what it viewed as judicial obstruction of its agenda, particularly regarding migration and deportation policies.[4] The campaign also linked the reform to faster processing of migration-related cases and the planned detention hub for undocumented migrants in Albania.[1]
Critics argued the reform was an attempt to exert more control over independent judges, whose decisions Meloni's ministers had frequently attacked publicly, particularly over migration cases.[4] Opponents contended the reform failed to address Italy's real judicial challenges, including years-long trials, massive case backlogs, and prison overcrowding.[4] Additionally, many viewed the referendum as becoming a vote on Meloni herself rather than just the technical judicial changes.[4]
The defeat represents a significant political setback for Meloni one year ahead of national elections, weakening her image of electoral dominance and potentially complicating other constitutional rewrite efforts.[2] However, analysts stressed there is no immediate risk of her government falling, as her party maintains polling support around 28-29 percent.[4] The loss has energized the center-left opposition and exposed fractures within Meloni's own right-wing coalition, which could affect government stability in the year leading to elections.[3]
Turnout was approximately 58-60%, which was higher than the most recent government-proposed constitutional referendum in a COVID-era vote but below the 2016 referendum on Matteo Renzi's reforms.[2] The unexpectedly high turnout, combined with strong support among younger voters and in major cities voting 'No', suggests the referendum galvanized voter participation and indicated broad public engagement with the issue.
