Italy: Referendum rejected, first setback for Meloni

The constitutional referendum held on 22 - 23 March 2026 forms part of Italy’s constitutional revision procedure. Backed by the government of Giorgia Meloni, the reform takes place within a long-standing debate over the balance between political power and the judiciary, characterised by recurring tensions since the 1990s. The vote was also held in a context of relative political stability, with the Meloni government in office since 2022—an unprecedented duration for Italy since the late 2010s—thereby reinforcing the political test dimension of the ballot. Substantively, the reform primarily aim s to separate the careers of judges and prosecutors, which are currently unified, and to reorganise the governance of the judiciary, notably through the creation of two distinct bodies and new appointment procedures. Presented as a means to enhance efficiency and impartiality, it was criticised by the opposition and part of the judiciary, who saw it as posing a risk to judicial independence. According to the (near-final) results from the vote count published by the Ministry of the Interior, the proposal has been rejected with approximately 54% voting “No”, with turnout close to 60% , a solid level for a referendum (well above the quorum). However, turnout remains below that observed in national elections. While these figures are still pending official confirmation by the relevant electoral authorities in the coming days, they are sufficiently robust to confirm the outcome of the vote. The rejection of this reform implies that the current organisation of Italy’s judicial system will remain unchanged. Beyond the institutional dimension, the result represents a notable political setback for Giorgia Meloni . It is the first of this magnitude since she came to power. It may complicate the adoption of future reforms and strengthen opposition momentum ahead of upcoming electoral deadlines, without, however, threatening the stability of the Meloni government.