&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Meloni concedes defeat as 53.7% of Italians vote ‘No’ on court overhaul")
Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni suffered a significant political setback on Monday (March 23) after voters rejected her government’s proposed justice reforms in a closely watched referendum, curbing her authority ahead of a looming general election.
Official results showed that 53.74 per cent of voters opposed the reforms, while 46.26 per cent backed them, dealing a blow to the right-wing leader’s efforts to overhaul Italy’s judicial system. The referendum had been framed as a crucial test of Meloni’s political strength.
Conceding defeat, Meloni said in a post on X, “The Italians have decided. And we respect this decision. We will carry on, as we always have, with responsibility, determination, and respect for the Italian people and for Italy.”
The rejected reforms aimed to restructure how judges and prosecutors are governed, including separating their career tracks and reshaping disciplinary oversight bodies. Meloni’s government argued the changes would make the judiciary more accountable, long accusing it of being politicised and biased.
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However, critics, including opposition leaders and legal experts, warned that the proposals risked undermining judicial independence. They portrayed the referendum as an attempt to bring Italy’s traditionally autonomous judiciary under greater political control.
The debate reflects deep-rooted tensions in Italian politics, dating back to the Mani Pulite investigations of the early 1990s, which exposed widespread corruption and reshaped the country’s political landscape. The legacy of Silvio Berlusconi - who frequently clashed with prosecutors - also loomed over the campaign.
Under Meloni, friction between the government and the courts has persisted, particularly over issues such as migration policy and major infrastructure projects. Several ministers in her administration have also faced legal scrutiny during the current term.
While the referendum dealt with complex legal changes, it was widely interpreted as a barometer of Meloni’s leadership. The outcome is expected to weaken her political leverage and influence the tone of Italy’s political debate in the run-up to national elections expected before the end of next year.
