Opposition to the proposal reflected both concern about the ostensible purpose of her reform of the creaking courts system, and general disillusionment with the right-wing prime minister. As Irish referendums have shown, persuading voters to confine their vote to the question on the ballot paper is difficult. The opposition warned that the measure would upset careful checks and balances in Italy’s post-war constitution to protect the rule of law and judicial independence. This was, they warned, Meloni seeking to bring the judiciary under political control. A prime minister with neo-fascist political roots altering the legal order of Italy’s anti-fascist constitution was always bound to be contentious.

Source: The Irish Times March 24, 2026 23:10 UTC