Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has conceded defeat in a referendum on her government's justice reforms, while confirming she will not resign. In a statement on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, she said, "The Italians have decided. And we respect this decision," calling the outcome "a lost opportunity to modernise Italy." In an accompanying video, Meloni stressed that "this does not change our commitment to continue, with seriousness and determination, to work for the good of the nation and to honour the mandate entrusted to us."

Meloni's hard-right government had sought to amend Italy's constitution to separate the roles of judges and prosecutors and reform their oversight body. She claimed the plan is essential to guarantee impartiality and improve the functioning of Italy's creaking justice system. However, critics slammed it as a political power grab that fails to address real challenges, from years-long trials to prison overcrowding. Elly Schlein, leader of the centre-left Democratic Party, said before the vote that the proposal is poorly drafted and "weakens the independence of the judiciary."

The reform sparked intense opposition within the judiciary, with more than 80 percent of members of Italy's National Magistrates Association staging a one-day strike last year. Meloni and her ministers have repeatedly attacked rulings they claim are too lenient, particularly on immigration issues. The referendum campaign was hard-fought and bitter, highlighting deep societal divisions over the role of justice in Italy.

In a public spat last month, Justice Minister Carlo Nordio – who had called criticism from judges "petulant litanies" – said the reform would correct a "para-mafia mechanism" within the judiciary. Giusi Bartolozzi, Nordio's chief of staff, also drew widespread criticism when she said during a talk show that the reform would "get rid of" magistrates who operated like "execution squads." These comments fueled accusations that the government was undermining judicial independence for political gain.

The most divisive part of the reform involved changes to the Superior Council of the Judiciary (CSM), an oversight and disciplinary body whose members are elected by their peers and parliament. The reform would have divided the CSM into two separate councils for judges and prosecutors and created a new 15-member disciplinary court. Members were planned to be drawn by lots, no longer voted on by their peers, with three members chosen by Italy's ceremonial president and three from a list of experienced lawyers approved by parliament. The second part aimed to prevent judges and public prosecutors from switching functions, addressing concerns that overly cosy relations between the two groups harm defendants. The defeat leaves Italy's justice system reforms in limbo, with ongoing debates about efficiency and fairness likely to persist.

Source: www.aljazeera.com