Giorgia Meloni suffered a heavy defeat with the rejection on Monday of a judicial reform project she had chosen to submit to a referendum. The voting saw 58% voter turnout, with the “no” option prevailing with 53.67% of the votes. This result signifies the failure of an institutional reform that was a key part of her electoral agenda. Prior to the vote, she had ruled out resigning in case of a “no” victory, but this clear defeat has put her in a more challenging position than anticipated.
The referendum focused on a proposal to reorganize the careers of judges, a both technical and highly sensitive issue in a country where trust between judges and the population has been eroded by a series of political and financial scandals. As the campaign neared the election, it took on a different tone.
