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With a turnout of barely 30.58%, the referendum to ease naturalization rules and abolish four labor market liberalization laws in Italy fell far short of validation. Held on June 8 and 9, the vote was annulled due to insufficient participation, failing to meet the required quorum of over 50%.
The referendum focused on reducing the residency requirement for non-European nationals, who have no marital or blood ties to Italy, from ten to five years as a condition for applying for Italian citizenship. Leading the government, the far-right party Fratelli d’Italia mounted a fierce campaign against the referendum, with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni personally speaking out against it.
For the left-wing parties and opposition, this marks another setback. They had previously opposed a parliamentary decree that restricts the acquisition of Italian citizenship solely to those with blood ties. However, they lacked the numbers to override the government coalition in both the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, where the decree passed with 137 votes in favor and 83 against.
Approved last May, this decree is currently under review by the Constitutional Court, which on June 24 will examine its compatibility with the Italian Constitution following a referral by several foreign nationals.
On another front, voters were asked to express their opinion on a consultation initiated by the General Confederation of Labor in Italy (CGIL), the country’s main left-wing trade union. After collecting the 500,000 signatures required to trigger the referendum, the union aimed to reinstate protections against precarious contracts, dismissals, and workplace accidents—measures that had previously been rolled back.
