Overview
- The Senate approved the justice overhaul in a fourth reading with 112 votes in favor, 59 against and 9 abstentions, sending the constitutional reform to a confirmatory referendum.
- The package separates the careers of judges and prosecutors, creates two CSM councils and introduces sortition for CSM members, with coverage also noting the creation of a new High Court for discipline.
- The government plans to schedule the referendum as early as March–April and to keep it separate from June municipal elections to avoid politicizing the vote.
- As a confirmatory referendum, no turnout quorum applies, so the outcome will hinge on which side mobilizes more voters.
- Opposition parties are divided, with Carlo Calenda backing the reform, Matteo Renzi’s Italia Viva abstaining, and PD and M5S opposing as their leaders denounce risks to checks and balances and stage protests in the Senate.