by Maximiliano Crocamo
Interviews: FVG governor, Massimiliano Fedriga; voters
Italy’s confirmatory constitutional referendum on judicial reform concluded on Monday, 23 March 2026, with polls closing at 3:00 p.m. The vote, held over two days, determined whether a constitutional law approved by Parliament in October 2025 would enter into force. With counting nearly complete, the “No” vote has prevailed nationwide, blocking the reform.
The proposed reform would have introduced a formal separation between the careers of judges and public prosecutors, as well as established two separate Councils of the Judiciary (Consiglio Superiore della Magistratura, CSM)—one for judges and one for prosecutors—with members selected by lottery. It also included the creation of a new High Disciplinary Court.
The governing centre-right coalition backed the “Yes” campaign, presenting the reform as a core element of its judicial renewal programme. The main opposition parties—namely the Partito Democratico, Movimento 5 Stelle, and Alleanza Verdi e Sinistra—campaigned for “No.”
With nearly all precincts counted, the “No” vote stood at approximately 53.74%, compared with 46.26% for “Yes,” according to preliminary national tallies. National turnout reached roughly 58.91%. In Friuli Venezia Giulia—one of only three regions where “Yes” prevailed—turnout was approximately 61.63%.
As no quorum is required for confirmatory referendums, a simple majority of valid votes is sufficient to determine the outcome. The constitutional law will therefore not enter into force.
