Italy is preparing for a pivotal constitutional referendum on March 22–23, 2026, aimed at reforming the judiciary. The vote has triggered a fierce political debate over the independence of the legal system and the balance of power between state institutions.

Referendum Dates Confirmed

The public vote on the constitutional changes to the justice system is scheduled for March 22 and 23, 2026.

Political Polarization

The ruling coalition frames the reform as a way to modernize and depoliticize the judiciary, while the opposition labels it a threat to institutional balance.

Judicial Forum Scheduled

Prominent prosecutors Nino Di Matteo and Henry John Woodcock will provide technical analysis of the reform at a forum on March 15.

Italy is set to hold a constitutional referendum on justice reform on March 22-23, 2026, with political figures across the spectrum already staking out sharply opposing positions ahead of the vote. The reform, put forward by the government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, centers on restructuring the judiciary and its relationship with the political sphere. Supporters frame it as a long-overdue correction to a system they say has been captured by political factions, while opponents warn it risks upsetting the institutional balance that underpins the rule of law. The debate has drawn in regional presidents, government undersecretaries, civil society leaders, and senior prosecutors, reflecting the breadth of the controversy surrounding the vote.

Among the reform's backers, Andrea Ostellari, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Justice and a senator for Lega, argued that the time has come to guarantee merit in the justice system. Lucia Albano, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Economy and Finance, called for a "yes" vote to free magistrates from politics. Emanuele Prisco, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of the Interior and a deputy for Fratelli d'Italia, described the reform as a historic opportunity to free justice from politics. Massimiliano Fedriga, President of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region and President of the Conference of Regions and Autonomous Provinces, expressed hope that the referendum would not be politicized, signaling unease within the broader center-right coalition about the tone of the campaign. „Riforma della giustizia occasione storica per liberarla dalla politica” (The justice reform is a historic opportunity to free it from politics) — Emanuele Prisco via ANSA

Opponents of the reform have been equally vocal. Stefano Bonaccini, President of the Democratic Party and a member of the European Parliament, dismissed the reform as a "bluff" and predicted the government would not secure a plebiscite result. Angelo Chiorazzo, a politician from Basilicata, called for a "no" vote to defend the balance of institutions. Don Luigi Ciotti, a priest and founder of Libera, offered a pointed critique, arguing the measure addresses the structure of the judiciary rather than justice itself. „it is the reform of the judiciary, not of justice” — Don Luigi Ciotti via ANSA

The public debate is set to continue in the press ahead of the vote. Il Fatto Quotidiano announced it will host a forum on March 15 featuring prosecutors Nino Di Matteo, a magistrate known for high-profile anti-mafia investigations, and Henry John Woodcock, a deputy prosecutor at the DDA in Naples. The participation of two prominent sitting prosecutors in a public forum on the referendum underlines how deeply the reform touches the magistracy itself. Italy's relationship between the judiciary and politics has been a source of recurring tension for decades. The Palamara scandal, which emerged in recent years, revealed internal lobbying and factional maneuvering within the CSM, Italy's judicial self-governing body, and intensified calls for structural reform of how judges and prosecutors are appointed and promoted. According to web search results, the Palamara scandal continues to shape the current referendum debate.