Italy's Meloni seeks new momentum with a referendum on judiciary

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, during a rally of her party in support of a yes vote in the referendum on the judiciary, in Milan, Italy, on March 12, 2026. STEFANO RELLANDINI/AFP

Since taking office in October 2022, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has led one of the most stable governments in Italy's republican history, despite deep divisions running through the country. On Sunday, March 22, and Monday, March 23, she faces the most significant challenge of her term: A constitutional referendum on judicial reform, which has turned into a vote of confidence on her leadership and the direction this far-right leader, who traces her political roots to neo-fascism, has taken Italian politics.

The crucial vote centers on a bill whose main provision would put an end to a uniquely Italian arrangement. Currently, judges and prosecutors belong to a single body with autonomous governance that is organized along political lines.

Subscribers only

Meloni tightens security policy as political tensions grip Italy