ROME – Elly Schlein, the leader of Italy’s main opposition party, announced on Thursday that her party has successfully gathered the required 500,000 signatures within 10 days to push for a referendum on the government’s contentious regional reform plans.
“The country is convinced that the law is wrong and dangerous and our battle will continue with all the people who have already mobilised and will continue to do so in our festivals, streets and squares,” Schlein, leader of the Democratic Party (PD), wrote on Instagram.
For the referendum to proceed, Italy’s Supreme Court must first verify the legitimacy of the proposal and confirm that the necessary number of signatures has been collected. Following this, the Constitutional Court must rule on the referendum’s admissibility.
If approved, the referendum will be valid only if at least 50 percent of eligible voters participate. The reform in question was approved during a heated all-night parliamentary session in June. Critics argue that the overhaul will exacerbate the historic divide between Italy’s affluent north and its poorer south.
The reform, championed by the League party in government, aims to grant regions broader powers over key public services such as health and education, and give them greater control over tax expenditure. Referendums in Italy often serve as a test for the ruling government, and should this one pass, it could pose challenges for the coalition led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who has been in office since October 22, 2022.