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Italian Senate Approves Nordio Justice Overhaul, Sending It to a 2026 Referendum

Both camps are moving to mobilize voters for a confirmatory vote without a quorum, expected in spring 2026.

Overview

  • The reform cleared its fourth reading in the Senate with 112 votes in favor, 59 against and 9 abstentions, triggering a confirmatory referendum that Justice Minister Carlo Nordio says is likely between late March and April 2026.
  • The governing parties will file the parliamentary request and begin collecting signatures from Monday, build local Yes committees, and aim to frame the contest on the merits rather than as a judgment on Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
  • The Association of Magistrates formalized a No committee led by constitutional law professor Enrico Grosso and says it is ready for a televised debate with Nordio, arguing the overhaul threatens judicial independence.
  • Opposition parties are split: PD and M5S oppose the measure and staged protests in the chamber, Azione voted in favor, and Italia Viva abstained, exposing cross‑party fractures ahead of the referendum.
  • The constitutional changes would separate the careers of judges and prosecutors, create two CSMs chosen by sortition, and establish a new Alta Corte for discipline, with implementing laws due within a year if voters confirm the reform.