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2w ago

Italy Votes on Judicial Overhaul as Early Turnout Tops Recent Referendums

The result will determine contested changes to the judiciary with repercussions for national politics before next year’s election.

A man passes next to election posters as Italian citizens will be called on March 22th and 23th to approve or reject the constitutional reform of the judicial system introduced by the Meloni government, through a referendum that does not require a minimum voter turnout, in Milan, Italy, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
A man passes next to election posters as Italian citizens will be called on March 22th and 23th to approve or reject the constitutional reform of the judicial system introduced by the Meloni government, through a referendum that does not require a minimum voter turnout, in Milan, Italy, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, center, speaks with European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, left, during a group photo at an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, March 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)
Two judges stand in a courtroom at Milan Court of Justice, in Milan, Italy, April 26, 2024. REUTERS/Claudia Greco/File Photo

Overview

  • Italians are casting ballots Sunday and Monday in a binding constitutional referendum on the government’s justice reform, with polls closing at 1400 GMT on March 23 and results expected later that day.
  • Government data showed turnout at 14.92% by noon Sunday, a stronger start than comparable recent referendums, with northern and central regions leading participation and southern regions lagging.
  • The proposal would separate career paths for judges and prosecutors, split the Superior Council of the Judiciary into two bodies, and create a 15‑member disciplinary court selected largely by lottery with some members from parliament‑approved lists and presidential appointments.
  • Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni argues the overhaul would make the system more impartial and efficient, while opposition parties and many magistrates warn it would weaken judicial independence and invite political influence.
  • Pre‑vote surveys indicated a near tie between the Yes and No camps, making participation levels a key variable in an outcome widely seen as consequential for Meloni and her rivals ahead of next year’s general election.