Overview

• The Senate voted 106–61–11 in a second reading to amend the Constitution by creating separate Consigli Superiori della Magistratura for judges and prosecutors and establishing an Alta Corte Disciplinare for misconduct cases.
• The career-separation reform must pass two more parliamentary readings with a two-thirds majority or face a confirmatory referendum likely to take place in spring 2026.
• Justice Minister Carlo Nordio’s ‘svuota carceri’ decree, due for Council of Ministers approval, aims to relieve overcrowding by providing 10,000 additional detention places across nine facilities.
• As part of the decongestion strategy, the plan offers drug-dependent offenders up to eight years in residential therapeutic communities instead of standard imprisonment.
• While government leaders praise the package as enhancing judicial independence and efficiency, opposition parties and the national magistrates’ association warn it risks eroding checks, balances and citizens’ guarantees.