Italy Ahead of Referendum: Meloni Government Takes Harder Line Against Judges and Postpones Summit with Macron

The campaign ahead of March's constitutional referendum in Italy is entering a decisive phase. Carlo Nordio and Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi declared in Bologna that even a potential loss in the vote would not lead to the cabinet's collapse. The government's reform includes, among other things, career separation for judges and prosecutors, which supporters say will guarantee impartial rulings, and critics say will weaken the independence of investigators. The latest polls give supporters of the changes (the "Yes" option) a slight lead at 53 percent of votes. Minister Nordio, referring to the president's appeal to calm emotions, denied personal animosity with Naples prosecutor Nicola Gratteri, although the two remain in a deep substantive dispute. Nicola Gratteri publicly criticizes the reform, pointing to threats to the effectiveness of the fight against organized crime. In the background of the judicial debate, a ruling ordering the state to pay compensation to by NGOs involved in migrant rescue has emerged, which PM Meloni uses as an argument for the need to curb the influence of "red robes." The Italian justice system has been in permanent conflict with the political class since the 1990s and the "Mani pulite" (Clean Hands) operation. Judicial reforms were one of Silvio Berlusconi's main postulates, and the current Meloni government continues this line, claiming that judges exceed their competencies by engaging in politics. Simultaneously, Rome announced the postponement of the summit with France planned for April to June, officially due to an overload of duties ahead of the G7 summit in Evian. However, some commentators link the postponement to a cooling of relations after critical remarks by President Emmanuel Macron directed at the Italian Prime Minister, although officially calendar reasons related to the G7 were also cited. Opposition leader Elly Schlein warns that changes to the constitution will not speed up trials but only serve to protect those in power from judicial oversight. „Le contumelie, persino quelle che ci dipingono come piduisti o amici dei camorristi dimostrano che sul referendum della giustizia l'opposizione non ha argomentazioni razionali da opporre.” (The insults, even those that paint us as P2 members or friends of the Camorra, demonstrate that on the justice referendum, the opposition has no rational arguments to oppose.) — Carlo Nordio 53% — of respondents declare support for the judicial reform

Perspektywy mediów: The opposition and liberal media emphasize the threat to judicial independence and accuse the government of seeking revenge on judges for rulings in migration cases. Right-wing media focus on the politicization of judges and the necessity of restoring justice through career separation and social control.