Italian voters reject judicial reform in a setback for Premier Giorgia Meloni

ROME (AP) — Italian voters on Monday rejected a judicial reform backed by conservative Premier Giorgia Meloni, delivering a stinging setback to the right-wing government one year ahead of national elections.

“Italian voters have decided and we respect their decision,” Meloni said in a video posted on Instagram. She pledged to complete her mandate, which runs into 2027.

The “No” camp won around 54% of the vote against the government‑backed “Yes” campaign, which secured about 46%, according to 94% of the results released by the Interior Ministry.

Turnout over the two‑day ballot, which began Sunday, was considerably higher than expected at almost 59% following a polarizing campaign. It energized the center‑left opposition, which framed the reform as a threat to judicial independence, while simultaneously exposing divisions within Meloni’s right‑wing coalition.

The proposed judicial reform had been billed by Meloni’s coalition as a key step toward streamlining Italy’s judicial system — long criticized as slow, bureaucratic, and vulnerable to political influence.

But critics argued that the measures risked concentrating too much power in the executive branch. Opposition parties, civil society groups and legal associations mounted a unified front, warning that the reform could undermine institutional checks and balances.

With political tensions already running high, public debate intensified in the final weeks before the vote, turning it into a de facto confidence test on Meloni’s leadership itself.

The defeat, especially after a campaign so closely tied to her personal leadership, raises questions about the stability and cohesion of Meloni's governing coalition.

The stakes extend beyond Italy’s borders. The Italian premier faces growing scrutiny over her controversial alignment with U.S. President Donald Trump and his increasingly unpopular war on Iran.

A key measure in the referendum included separating the career paths of judges and prosecutors, preventing them from switching roles.

Another major change concerned the High Judicial Council, which oversees magistrates’ appointments and disciplinary matters. The reform proposed splitting it into three separate chambers and altering how members are chosen, replacing internal elections with selections by lottery from eligible judges and prosecutors.