ROME – Significant efforts to amend Italy’s citizenship laws and enhance job protections suffered a setback on Monday, as referendums supporting these changes flopped due to insufficient voter turnout. Despite the lack of success, proponents of the reforms are optimistic about reigniting public discourse on these crucial topics.
The unsuccessful referendum marks a palpable win for Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her right-wing ruling coalition, which had explicitly endorsed voter abstention. Meanwhile, the center-left opposition faced a clear defeat as the turnout barely reached 30.6% of eligible voters, a figure well short of the 50% plus one threshold necessary to legitimize the vote.
A jubilant reaction came from Meloni’s far-right Brothers of Italy party following the referendum’s dramatic failure. They took to social media, stating, “The only real goal of this referendum was to bring down the Meloni government.” They added, “In the end, it was the Italians who brought you down,” posting an image of opposition leaders to underline their point.
Maurizio Landini, heading the CGIL trade union responsible for the initiative, recognized the defeat but saw it as an opportunity to spark significant discussions on workers’ rights. Landini remarked, “We knew it wouldn’t be a walk in the park,” adding that Italy faces an apparent crisis of democracy and citizen engagement.
According to Landini, over 14 million Italians participated in the two-day referendum, with more than 80% casting their ballots in favor of the proposed employment security measures. The five proposals primarily aimed to reduce the residency period necessary for immigrants and children of foreigners born in Italy to attain citizenship, slashing it from ten years to five, while also bolstering job protections.
Elly Schlein, leader of the center-left Democratic Party, highlighted that the number of voters supporting these referendums surpassed those who backed Meloni in the 2022 elections.
Campaigners advocating for changes to the citizenship laws argued that the adjustments would significantly benefit second-generation Italians. These individuals, born in Italy to non-European Union parents, could establish stronger cultural ties to a nation they already consider home. If enacted, the reforms would potentially affect approximately 2.5 million foreign nationals striving for recognition as citizens.
Proponents of the changes suggested that the reformed laws would ease access to civil and political rights, including voting eligibility, public employment opportunities, and improved freedom of movement within the European Union. However, the citizenship amendment proved more divisive than other measures, with only about 65% voting in favor.
Activists and opposition parties have criticized the lack of public debate surrounding these reforms, accusing the ruling coalition of stifling interest in issues immensely affecting immigrants and the workforce. Earlier, Italy’s AGCOM communications authority highlighted inadequacies in media coverage, lodging complaints against state broadcaster RAI and others for their lack of attention to the matters at hand.
Political analyst and pollster Lorenzo Pregliasco of YouTrend noted that opinion surveys conducted in mid-May revealed low public awareness, with only 46% of Italians informed about the referendums’ objectives.
Nevertheless, Pregliasco suggested that the function of referendums in Italy might need reconsideration, especially in light of recent high abstention rates. A recalibration of the turnout threshold could be a necessary step forward.