Italian voters have delivered a significant blow to their premier Giorgia Meloni, rejecting a key judicial reform backed by her conservative government just a year before national elections.
Following the defeat, Ms Meloni took to Instagram to say: “Italian citizens have decided and we respect their decision as always.”
She affirmed her intention to complete her mandate, which extends until 2027, adding: “We will move forward as we always have: with responsibility, determination, and above all, with respect for Italy and its people.”
The premier also expressed “regret for a missed opportunity to modernise Italy”.
The reforms would have changed the country’s constitution to separate judges and prosecutors. They also proposed a new disciplinary court and separate bodies to govern the two professions.
Final results from the Interior Ministry showed the “No” campaign securing almost 54 per cent of the vote, against approximately 46 per cent for the government-backed “Yes” side.
Turnout for the two-day ballot, which began on Sunday, was notably higher than anticipated at nearly 59 per cent.
The outcome follows a polarising campaign that invigorated the centre-left opposition, which had framed the proposed changes as a threat to judicial independence. The vote also highlighted internal divisions within Ms Meloni’s right-wing coalition.
The reform had been championed by her government as a crucial step towards streamlining Italy’s judicial system, which has long faced criticism for its slowness, bureaucracy, and susceptibility to political influence.
But critics argued that the measures risked concentrating too much power in the executive branch. Opposition parties, civil society groups and legal associations mounted a unified front, warning that the reform could undermine institutional checks and balances.
With political tensions already running high, public debate intensified in the final weeks before the vote, turning it into a de facto confidence test on Meloni’s leadership itself.
The defeat, especially after a campaign so closely tied to her personal leadership, raises questions about the stability and cohesion of Meloni’s governing coalition.
The stakes extend beyond Italy’s borders. The Italian premier faces growing scrutiny over her controversial alignment with US president Donald Trump and his increasingly unpopular war on Iran.
“Italy has defied its reputation for government instability in recent years,” said Jess Middleton, senior Europe analyst at risk intelligence company Verisk Maplecroft. “This defeat punctures Meloni’s image of strength, weakening her status as a pillar of domestic stability and as a consistent player in an increasingly volatile European political landscape.”
Analysts also noted that the referendum win provides a major boost to the center-left opposition, with frustrations around the government’s performance on the economy and the war in the Middle East coming into focus throughout the campaign.
“The key question now is whether these disparate opposition forces can maintain some cohesion and present themselves as a credible alternative ahead of next year’s vote,” Middleton said.
Elly Schlein, the leader of the centre-left Democratic Party, hailed the referendum result and said opposition forces would remain united.
“We’ll continue to work together and we’ll build a real alternative to this government,” she said at a news conference celebrating the “No” victory.
More Australian beef to enter Europe under landmark £5.2bn trade deal
Plug-in solar panels to be sold by Amazon and Lidl to cut bills amid Iran war
Is the UK repeating its Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe mistakes with this couple in Iran?
Race against time to refloat stranded humpback whale
Ukraine war live: Massive wave of Russian strikes leaves five dead in Ukraine
Major European train station evacuated after suspicious bags found
