Overview

• Meloni announced she will appear at polling stations for the June 8-9 vote but will refuse to retrieve any of the five referendum ballots, a choice the Interior Ministry says omits her from voter turnout counts
• The referendum’s validity hinges on at least 50%+1 of eligible voters casting ballots, with non-retrieval of papers treated the same as staying home
• Voters will decide on five abrogatory questions covering labor protections—from Jobs Act reforms to workplace safety and contract terms—and a reduction in citizenship residency from ten to five years
• Opposition leaders including Elly Schlein and Giuseppe Conte have held rallies in cities like Bari and Rome to galvanize support and persuade undecided voters to participate
• Most parties in Meloni’s center-right coalition advocate abstention, with only the Noi Moderati bloc breaking ranks by urging members to vote “no” on all questions