Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni speaks during a campaign meeting of Italian right wing party Brothers of Italy (Fratelli d'Italia) to support the "Yes" to Justice referendum, in Milan on March 12, 2026. STEFANO RELLANDINI / AFP
Italian voters rejected a judicial reform backed by conservative Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, delivering a stinging setback to the right-wing government one year ahead of national elections. The "No" camp won around 54% of the vote against the government‑backed "Yes" campaign, which secured about 46%, according to almost final Interior Ministry data.
Turnout over the two‑day ballot, which began Sunday, March 22, was considerably higher than expected, at almost 59% following a polarizing campaign. The vote galvanized the center‑left opposition while exposing fractures within the right‑wing coalition that supports Meloni.
Meloni on Monday conceded defeat, while confirming she would not hand in her resignation. "The Italians have decided. And we respect this decision," she said in a statement on X, alongside a video in which she stressed that "this does not change our commitment to continue, with seriousness and determination, to work for the good of the nation and to honor the mandate entrusted to us."
