Italians vote in high-stakes justice referendum in key test for Meloni

Italian voters are deciding in a two-day referendum whether to approve Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's contested judicial reform package. Meloni's right-wing government has positioned the overhaul as necessary modernization of Italy's justice system, but opponents argue it could undermine judicial independence and concentrate power in the executive branch. The referendum serves as a crucial political barometer for the prime minister, testing whether her coalition maintains public support ahead of potential European Union tensions over rule-of-law concerns. A defeat could weaken Meloni's political standing domestically and internationally, while approval would give her a mandate to reshape Italy's courts. The vote reflects broader European debates over judicial reform and the balance between executive authority and judicial autonomy.