US EditionItaly’s Referendum on Citizenship and Job Protections Fails because of Low Turnout
- Italy held abrogative referendums on five issues including labor rights and citizenship on June 8 and 9, 2025, across the country.
- These referendums aimed to repeal parts of labor reforms and reduce citizenship residency from ten to five years, but turnout has declined sharply over 30 years.
- Despite over 14 million voting, turnout reached only 30.6%, below the 50% quorum, nullifying all results though majorities supported labor law changes and citizenship reform.
- Between 87% and 89% supported labor questions, 65% backed citizenship easing, and political scientist Giorgio Malet said abstention “is part of the political game in Italy.”
- The referendums’ failure reinforced parliamentary legitimacy over direct democracy, signaling ongoing challenges for advocates of liberal citizenship and labor policies in Italy.
33 Articles
33 Articles
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said today that the referendum on labor reforms and citizenship, which with a turnout of 30 percent failed to reach a quorum, was actually a referendum on the opposition, and that the result was clear.
Referenda was on opposition, clear result - Meloni
The weekend referenda on labour and citizenship reforms was in fact a referendum on the opposition and "the result is clear" in that they lost with a turnout of just 30% and the quorum missed, Premier Giorgia Meloni said Thursday. (ANSA)
Italy: referendum to improve working conditions fails necessary quorum. Basic union USB calls for departure from the social partnership.
Left fails to win its referendums in Italy - International Viewpoint - online socialist magazine
“All five referendums were lost because none reached the quorum of 50% of the electorate. Around 88-89% who voted supported the progressive changes to the labour laws but this went down by 33 percentage points for the change to the citizenship process for immigrants.” IVP605 - June 2025 / Italy, Trade unions/workplace organizing
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 47% of the sources lean Left
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