Italy is voting on whether to change its constitution. What does this mean for Meloni?

## Summary
Just now Share Save Sarah Rainsford Southern and Eastern Europe correspondent, Rome Share Save Getty Images Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is hoping a referendum on changing Italy's constitution will pass this weekend despite stiff opposition In her push for a "yes" vote in this weekend's constitutional referendum, Italy's prime minister has been reaching for new audiences. In any case, Meloni made clear, she wouldn't be stepping down. "If you vote 'no' today just to send Meloni home, you'll find yourself keeping both Meloni and a justice system that doesn't work," the prime minister said. "That doesn't seem like a good deal to me." For many, this referendum on judicial reforms is in some ways a vote on Meloni herself So is Italian justice really "broken"? Now, the matter of the referendum is what counts." Andrea di Giuseppe, a member of Meloni's Fratelli d'Italia party, urged voters to lay feelings about the prime minister to one side ahead of the referendum There are some, even on the left wing of politics, who support this reform and see the close ties between judges and prosecutors as too cosy. "It's like, I help you for this case, so you help me. He's deeply wary of any constitutional tinkering by a prime minister who began her own political life as an admirer of Mussolini, the dictator. "In the last few years we have had a lot of inquiries into what… ministers of this government did," Malpassi says. "We don't want that not to be possible in the future." If Meloni wins this vote she has grand political ambitions, including increasing the powers of her own office in a future referendum.

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Italy is voting on whether to change its constitution. What does this mean for Meloni?
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Sarah Rainsford
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Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is hoping a referendum on changing Italy's constitution will pass this weekend despite stiff opposition
In her push for a "yes" vote in this weekend's constitutional referendum, Italy's prime minister has been reaching for new audiences.
On Thursday, Giorgia Meloni sat at the mic between a popular rapper and a personal trainer-turned-podcaster to urge Italians to vote for a judicial system she promised would be "more just" for all.
Opposition parties have been busy too, styling the "historic" reform proposed by the right-wing government as a threat to democracy, and turning it into a protest vote against Meloni's rule.
In power for three-and-a-half years, close to a record in a land of shaky coalitions, Meloni prides herself on bringing stability to Italy. But as this referendum has become increasingly personalised, she could be facing her first significant defeat.
"She wants to win. If she loses, there will be an impact and she understands that," political scientist Roberto D'Alimonte of Luiss University explains.
"She needs to mobilise her voters to have a better chance to win this race. But it's going to be touch and go."
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In a bid to drum up interest and support among younger voters, Meloni appeared on the popular Pulp podcast
That's why the prime minister joined rapper Fedez and Mr Marra on their podcast, Pulp.
Swapping her usual one-tone trouser suit for a woolly jumper with sparkles, Meloni fielded questions for an hour from the tattoo-covered rapper and his popular co-host.
The engagement was meant to encourage younger voters to the polls.
There is no minimum turnout for this kind of referendum - the camp with the most ballots over two days of voting wins. The "no" campaign already has the backing of trade unions.
Recent polls suggested that low participation would favour those against the reform.
So on air Meloni set out her case for "yes" with trademark gusto.
She said changes to how Italy's judges and prosecutors work would make the system "more meritocratic, more responsible, more efficient".
She also argued her opponents were only turning all this into a referendum on her rule because they couldn't fault the reform itself.
In any case, Meloni made clear, she wouldn't be stepping down.
"If you vote 'no' today just to send Meloni home, you'll find yourself keeping both Meloni and a justice system that doesn't work," the prime minister said.
"That doesn't seem like a good deal to me."
For many, this referendum on judicial reforms is in some ways a vote on Meloni herself
So is Italian justice really "broken"?
The system is certainly chronically overloaded, with some of the longest-running trials in the EU.
But the reform won't address that.
The referendum looks at separating the career paths of judges and prosecutors, as well as creating distinct bodies to govern them. It also proposes a new disciplinary court for both.
The potential impact depends entirely on who you ask: many Italians struggle to understand this referendum at all.
The proposal is a project of the late Silvio Berlusconi's party, Forza Italia, part of the current coalition.
Italy's oligarch prime minister of many years was forever in and out of court and railed against the judiciary as a supposed "communist" block on his power.
Meloni herself has also clashed publicly with the courts, claiming that "powerful factions" routinely derail her signature policies, especially on migration.
In Milan recently she claimed - with no evidence - that rejecting the referendum would mean "even more… immigrants, rapists, paedophiles, drug dealers being freed and putting your security at risk."
Such rhetoric is one reason why opposition parties are so wary of this reform.
They fear Meloni's real aim is to subjugate the judiciary to her political control.
She and her team deny that.
But at a time of global uncertainty and rising prices caused by an unpopular US war, they also know voters may use the referendum to vent their frustration.
"The geopolitical situation is very tough, of course. People are scared. I completely feel that. But we need to stay focused on the purpose of the referendum," Andrea di Giuseppe, a member of Meloni's Fratelli d'Italia party, argues.
He suggested that an assessment of Meloni's own record could wait for the general election next year.
"If you are not happy about this government, then in 2027 [you can] just kick it off the bus, change to another government. Now, the matter of the referendum is what counts."
Andrea di Giuseppe, a member of Meloni's Fratelli d'Italia party, urged voters to lay feelings about the prime minister to one side ahead of the referendum
There are some, even on the left wing of politics, who support this reform and see the close ties between judges and pro

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## Expert Analysis

### Merits
- But as this referendum has become increasingly personalised, she could be facing her first significant defeat. "She wants to win.

### Areas for Consideration
- Opposition parties have been busy too, styling the "historic" reform proposed by the right-wing government as a threat to democracy, and turning it into a protest vote against Meloni's rule.
- In Milan recently she claimed - with no evidence - that rejecting the referendum would mean "even more… immigrants, rapists, paedophiles, drug dealers being freed and putting your security at risk." Such rhetoric is one reason why opposition parties are so wary of this reform.
- But this test comes at a difficult time. "Italians don't like to get involved in these American wars, and the rise in gas prices damages the popularity of the government.

### Implications
- Italy is voting on whether to change its constitution.
- Just now Share Save Sarah Rainsford Southern and Eastern Europe correspondent, Rome Share Save Getty Images Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is hoping a referendum on changing Italy's constitution will pass this weekend despite stiff opposition In her push for a "yes" vote in this weekend's constitutional referendum, Italy's prime minister has been reaching for new audiences.
- Opposition parties have been busy too, styling the "historic" reform proposed by the right-wing government as a threat to democracy, and turning it into a protest vote against Meloni's rule.
- But as this referendum has become increasingly personalised, she could be facing her first significant defeat. "She wants to win.

### Expert Commentary
This article covers meloni, referendum, italy topics. Notable strengths include discussion of meloni. Areas of concern are also raised. Readability: Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.0. Word count: 1274.