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4w ago

Italy’s Referendum on Citizenship and Labor Reforms Faces Turnout Shortfall

Polls opened Sunday for a two-day vote that could be nullified if participation falls short of the 50 percent threshold

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The referendum seeks to ease citizenship rules, with non-EU adult residents able to apply for citizenship after living in Italy for five years if approved
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Overview

  • The referendum seeks to halve the residency requirement for non-EU adult residents from ten years to five years, aligning Italy’s naturalization rules with those of Germany and France.
  • Four additional ballot questions aim to reinforce protections for dismissed and precarious workers and restore joint liability for contractors and subcontractors in workplace accidents.
  • Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her coalition partners have chosen to abstain from voting as a tactic to lower turnout below the quorum needed for approval.
  • Opposition parties, the CGIL trade union and public figures including singer Ghali have campaigned for a ‘yes’ vote and criticized limited public debate and media coverage.
  • With voting extending through Monday, early turnout figures suggest the referendum may fall short of the 50 percent-plus-one participation rule required for validation.