Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s bid to reform Italy’s judiciary was rejected by voters, according to projections released Monday evening. About 54% voted against the initiative, while 46% supported the legal changes promoted by Meloni’s right-wing government.
Meloni acknowledged the result in an online post, calling it “a lost chance to modernize Italy” and saying she would respect the decision. She added she would “continue, with seriousness and determination, to work for the good of the nation and to honor the mandate entrusted to us.”
The loss is a significant setback for Meloni and her coalition, which has governed steadily since 2022.
The reform sought to separate the career paths of judges and prosecutors to prevent moves between the two roles, and to split the Superior Council of the Judiciary into two oversight bodies. Members of these bodies would be selected by lot rather than elected by peers and lawmakers, and a new 15-member disciplinary body was proposed. Justice Minister Carlo Nordio argued the measures would remedy what he called a “para-Mafia mechanism” among judges.
Critics noted that only a small minority of prosecutors and judges actually switch careers, and argued the reform would not address Italy’s most pressing judicial problem: the extremely slow pace of trials, which fuels backlogs and prison overcrowding.
The opposition used the referendum to rally criticism of Meloni and to accuse the government of trying to bring the judiciary under political control. Former Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte of the Five Star Movement celebrated the projected result online: “We did it! Long live the Constitution!” Conte described the outcome as an “eviction notice for this government after four years,” while Meloni said she would remain in office.
Former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said a leader in Meloni’s position could not “pretend it is business as usual,” noting his own 2016 resignation after losing a referendum on parliamentary reforms.
Italy is due to hold parliamentary elections next year.
Edited by: Dmytro Hubenko