The Digester
general

Meloni loses referendum on judicial reform

Voters rejected a government-led judicial reform in a high-turnout referendum, marking Giorgia Meloni’s first major political defeat; she refuses to resign but faces a setback to her credibility at home and abroad.

Mar 25th 2026 · Italy

Insights

  • Italians rejected Giorgia Meloni’s judicial reform in a referendum with nearly 60 percent turnout.
  • The proposal would have barred judges and prosecutors from switching roles and selected High Council members by lottery.
  • The reform did not address slow courts and was widely criticised as a threat to judicial independence.
  • Meloni campaigned heavily, but she has ruled out resigning and plans to stay in office until elections by 2027.
  • The defeat damages her domestic and international standing even though her party still led polls at about 29 percent in mid-March.

Sources