Premier Giorgia Meloni has suffered her first significant political setback since coming to power, after Italian voters rejected her government’s flagship justice reform in a referendum on Monday.
The ‘No’ vote prevailed by approximately 54% to 46%, on a notably high turnout of 59% — a striking figure for a referendum in a country where such votes frequently fail to reach the quorum needed to be valid. The result marks the first clear defeat for Meloni in three and a half years in government, and comes less than 18 months before a general election currently scheduled for September 2027.
What was the justice reform?
The reform, which Meloni had championed throughout the campaign, was a wide-ranging overhaul of Italy’s judicial system. Its key measures would have permanently separated the career paths of judges and prosecutors, ending the current system under which magistrates can switch between the two roles. It would also have established a dedicated high court to handle the discipline of members of the judiciary, split the CSM — the body responsible for the self-governance of the Italian judiciary — into two separate chambers, and changed the method by which CSM justices are elected, introducing a draw process.
The government argued the reform was necessary on several grounds. It said that allowing judges and prosecutors to work interchangeably risked fostering unhealthy relationships between them, potentially compromising defendants’ right to a fair trial. It also contended that magistrates needed to be held accountable for errors, arguing that the current system offered them what Meloni described as near-total impunity. The reform, the government said, would also reduce the influence of politicised factions within the judiciary.
Opposition and controversy
The reform faced fierce opposition from magistrates’ union ANM and centre-left parties, who argued it would weaken judicial independence and do nothing to address the chronic slowness of Italy’s court system. Critics also raised concerns that it could, over time, bring prosecutors under greater government influence.
The campaign grew increasingly heated in its final days. Meloni stepped up her public criticism of court rulings that had gone against government policy, particularly on migrants and crime, and referenced a number of cases she presented as miscarriages of justice. On the other side, Naples chief prosecutor Nicola Gratteri — who has lived under police protection from ‘Ndrangheta death threats for 35 years — warned that the mafia and what he described as shadowy power centres were backing the Yes camp.
In the final push before the vote, Meloni mounted a high-profile media campaign, including a lengthy appearance on the podcast of Italy’s most popular rapper, Fedez, in an apparent bid to reach younger voters.
Reactions: Meloni accepts result, opposition senses opportunity
Speaking after the result became clear, Meloni accepted the outcome while expressing her disappointment. “The Italians have decided. And we respect this decision,” she said. She acknowledged “regret for a missed opportunity to modernise Italy,” but insisted the result would not alter her government’s direction or commitment. She had previously said that a referendum defeat would have no bearing on the future of her administration.
The centre-left opposition, however, wasted no time in drawing broader conclusions from the result of the justice reform referendum. Democratic Party (PD) leader Elly Schlein said the result demonstrated that an alternative majority to Meloni’s coalition already existed in the country. “A clear political message is being sent to Meloni and the government: they must now reflect, listen to the country and its true priorities,” she told reporters at PD headquarters. “The country is demanding an alternative, and we have the responsibility to organise it.”
Five Star Movement leader Giuseppe Conte, an uneasy ally of Schlein, was equally buoyant, suggesting that his party and progressive forces would “interpret this new Spring.” Both leaders signalled their willingness to hold primaries to determine who would lead a united centre-left coalition into the next general election.
Does the referendum reflect Italians’ view of government?
While Meloni retains a solid majority in parliament and her government is not under immediate threat, the referendum result is symbolically significant. It is the first time voters have delivered a clear verdict against a central government initiative on her watch, and it hands the fractious opposition a rare moment of unity and momentum.
With the next general election on the horizon, all eyes will now be on whether the centre-left can translate Monday’s result into a credible governing alternative, and whether Meloni’s aura of political invincibility has, for the first time, begun to fade.
