Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Monday that she will not resign if voters reject her government’s justice reform in the referendum scheduled for March 22–23.
The proposed constitutional reform would introduce sweeping changes to Italy’s justice system. It separates the career paths of judges and prosecutors so they can no longer switch roles during their careers, creates a high court responsible for disciplining magistrates, and restructures the judiciary’s self-governing body, the High Council of the Judiciary (CSM).
Under the plan, the CSM would be split into two bodies, one for judges and one for prosecutors, and the method for selecting CSM members would be changed, introducing a draw process.
Magistrates’ union National Magistrates Association and opposition parties strongly oppose the reform. They argue that it risks weakening judicial independence and could be a first step toward placing prosecutors under the control of the executive branch.
The government rejects those claims. It says separating prosecutors and judges into two professional groups is necessary to avoid close professional relationships that could undermine impartial trials.
No resignation if reform fails
“The government will not resign if the No vote wins,” Meloni said in a video message posted on social media urging Italians to vote in favour of the reform.
“We said we would implement a series of reforms, but now it is up to the Italians to decide,” she said. “We want to reach the end of the parliamentary term and be judged by the Italians then. Today we are voting on justice, not politics.”
Meloni has repeatedly criticised parts of the judiciary, accusing some magistrates of obstructing government policies through court rulings, particularly on migration.
“There are distortions in the justice system that we have never managed to correct in the 80 years of the republic,” she said. “The reform addresses this by making the justice system more accountable and free from a judiciary that has lost much of its authority and effectiveness.”
She also dismissed warnings from opponents as exaggerated. According to Meloni, the “apocalyptic” language used by critics shows a lack of substantive arguments, noting that separating the career paths of prosecutors and judges already exists in many countries.
“The Left opposes any form of modernisation of this nation,” she said.
Meloni argued that the reform would remove political influence from the justice system rather than increase it.
“The real problem the Left has with this reform is that we are freeing magistrates from their control and influence,” she said. “The thesis that the justice reform increases executive control over magistrates is science fiction. It is a lie.”
Support for yes-vote is reducing
Debate over the role of the judiciary has long been a central issue in Italian politics, particularly since the legal battles faced by former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi. His party, Forza Italia, supported the reform and described its parliamentary approval as a symbolic posthumous victory for the late leader.
Early polling suggested the “Yes” campaign had a strong lead, but support has narrowed during the campaign. The most recent survey published before the two-week pre-vote polling ban showed the “No” camp ahead by 53% to 47%.
The shift has prompted calls from allies for Meloni to take a more prominent role in the campaign, highlighting cases of alleged miscarriages of justice and court rulings that have challenged government policies on immigration and crime.
