by Alessandra Cardone, Ren Yaoting
ROME, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The rejection of a constitutional reform proposal in a recent referendum is expected to weigh on the Italian government's policy agenda and potentially reshape dynamics within the ruling coalition, while leaving overall government stability largely intact, analysts have said.
Italian voters on Monday rejected a plan to overhaul the judiciary through constitutional amendments, dealing a blow to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her right-wing cabinet.
The proposed reform aimed to restructure the judicial system by separating the career tracks of judges and public prosecutors, and by splitting the High Council of the Judiciary, the independent disciplinary body, into two separate entities.
According to data from the Interior Ministry, 53.2 percent of voters opposed the reform, while 46.7 percent supported it. Voter turnout reached 58.9 percent, among the highest levels recorded in recent years.
The outcome has energized opposition parties and groups that campaigned against the proposal. Local media widely described the result as a significant political setback for Meloni and her coalition, though not one that threatens the government's survival.
"The prime minister's immediate priority remains the completion of the government's program and serving out the remainder of the current term," said Lorenzo Castellani, professor of History of Political Institutions at LUISS Guido Carli University in Rome, in an interview with Xinhua.
He noted that while tensions within the coalition or unfavorable opinion polls in the coming months could complicate the situation, such scenarios are not considered the most likely.
Prior to the referendum, Meloni made clear that she would not resign even if the reform failed, in contrast to former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, who stepped down following a similar referendum defeat in 2016. She reiterated this position in a video statement after conceding the vote.
In the aftermath, however, several government officials tendered their resignations, including Tourism Minister Daniela Santanche, Justice Undersecretary Andrea Delmastro, and Giusi Bartolozzi, chief of staff to Justice Minister Carlo Nordio.
On March 26, Maurizio Gasparri resigned as Senate leader of Forza Italia, a key ally of Meloni's Brothers of Italy, after a majority of the party's senators called for his removal.
Castellani noted that some of those who stepped down had become political liabilities for the government, either due to ongoing judicial investigations or controversial remarks made during the referendum campaign.
"At the same time, the ruling coalition needs to demonstrate that it has taken on board the message from voters," he said, noting that around 1.4 million center-right supporters voted against the reform, viewing it as unnecessary or unfair.
The referendum result could also influence other key reforms on the government's agenda. Castellani suggested that a proposed constitutional change to introduce the direct election of the prime minister, currently under parliamentary review, is unlikely to advance.
"It would seem illogical for the government to push forward with such a reform when constitutional changes proposed in recent decades have consistently been rejected," he said.
Since 2001, Italy has held five referendums on constitutional amendments, four of which were rejected by wide margins.
"Most voters are wary of any political leader -- regardless of their political affiliation -- who tries to change the constitution by relying on a single bloc, without involving all the major parties in a broad debate ... Italians don't like it," Castellani said.
