Italian voters block Meloni's justice reform
Italy has voted against judicial reform in a referendum. A 54-percent majority rejected the constitutional amendment required for the project for which Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni had campaigned. However, even before the vote, Meloni ruled out stepping down in the event of defeat.
A lot more at stake
It was the extreme politicisation of the referendum that fuelled the 'no' vote, writes Corriere del Ticino:
“The rejection can be explained by reasons that have very little to do with the complex issue of separating the careers of judges and prosecutors and reforming judicial oversight. The bitter, fiercely contested and at times violent campaign on both sides ultimately turned the vote on the constitutional amendment into a trial of strength for the incumbent government. … Italy's prime minister won't resign, but the government has been weakened after four years of undeniable stability. Ultimately, contrary to the best intentions of its supporters, the reform turned out to be a showdown between politicians and the judiciary.”
Rejected for a host of good reasons
Le Temps lists reasons for Meloni's defeat:
“The incredibly complex title of the reform did not speak to Italians. Our neighbours might criticise a certain corporatism among the judges and state prosecutors, but concern about political interference in the judicial system is far greater. ... One final factor must be taken into account when explaining Giorgia Meloni's defeat: Brussels. The EU was highly critical of this justice reform because it saw in it the potential to turn Italy into a regime 'à la Orbán' and to complicate the fight against corruption. ... A majority of Italians saw the reform as a Trojan horse, that would strengthen the Meloni camp's increasingly authoritarian grip on Italy.”
The limits of her power
The Italian people have taught Meloni a lesson, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung comments:
“Meloni may have said in her campaign that the referendum was about judicial reform, not her own political future. Yet she campaigned so hard that it did end up being a referendum about her. ... Whether Meloni and her coalition will still have the energy to push through their two other major reform projects – the electoral reform to strengthen the office of the head of government and the reform to expand regional autonomy – remains to be seen. There are certainly reasons to believe that the failed referendum on judicial reform has exposed the limits of Meloni's power.”
Time for applied democracy
Corriere della Sera sees the high turnout as an appeal for dialogue:
“It signals a revival of direct democracy, which seemed threatened by abstention. A massive turnout that legitimises the victory of the 'no' votes on judicial reform and the defeat of the government-backed 'yes' vote. Italy as a nation has voted, not a minority. ... Nevertheless, what has emerged is the image of a divided country. This should encourage not only the losers but also the winners to respect the opposing camp and to usher in a new phase together. It will be necessary to resume dialogue in parliament.”