Italy's Meloni concedes defeat on judiciary referendum

With Italian voters rejecting the judicial reform pushed by Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, the far-right leader lamented the "lost chance" to modernize the country.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's proposal to reform the Italy 's judiciary is set to fail at the ballot box, according to projections published on Monday evening.

Some 54% of voters rejected the initiative, with 46% backing the legal changes championed by Meloni 's right-wing government.

Meloni conceded defeat in an online post, lamenting the outcome as "a ‌lost chance to ‌modernize ​Italy" while also pledging to respect the decision.

She also promised to "continue, with seriousness and determination, to work for the good of the nation and to honor the mandate entrusted to us."
Still, the outcome marks a serious blow to Meloni and her allies , who have maintained a stable ruling coalition since 2022.

What was Meloni's reform about?

The proposed reform was focused on separating career paths of judges and prosecutors, preventing them from moving from one role to another.

Another pillar of the proposal was splitting the existing Superior Council of the Judiciary into two separate oversight bodies, where members would be drawn by lots instead of voted in by their peers and lawmakers.

It also foresaw a new 15-member disciplinary body.

Ahead of the vote, which was held on Sunday and Monday, Meloni's Justice Minister Carlo Nordio said the reform would fix the "para-Mafia mechanism" operating among judges.

Where do Europe's far-right parties differ?

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
Far-right politicians in Italy have long insinuated that the country's judiciary was biased against them, and sought to create distance between judges and prosecutors.

Despite their claims, however, only a small minority of Italian prosecutors switch careers to become judges, and vice-versa.

Some critics also point out that the proposal would not fix the arguably most severe issue plaguing the country's courts — the glacially slow pace of its trials, which in turns causes backlogs and prison overcrowding.

Opposition celebrates victory against Meloni
The opposition also used the referendum to galvanize Meloni's critics and articulate a wider sense of displeasure with her policies .

They also accused the far-right government of trying to put judiciary under its control.

"We did it!

Long live the Constitution!" former Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte , the head of the populist Five Star Movement , wrote online after the projections were published on Monday.

Meloni has pledged to remain in office regardless of the referendum's outcome.

Conte, however, sought to portray it as an end to Meloni's rule.

"It's an eviction notice for this government after four years," Conte told a press conference.

Another ex-Prime Minister, Matteo Renzi , said a leader in Meloni's position cannot "pretend it is business as usual."
"When a leader loses their magic touch, everyone starts to doubt them," he said.

Renzi quit the top job in 2016 after losing his own referendum on reforming the parliament and redistributing power among branches of government.

The EU country is set for parliamentary elections next year.