Referendum defeat leaves Italy's Meloni looking more vulnerable
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Meloni vowed to press on after losing a vote on constitutional reform many turned into a referendum on her government.
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Referendum defeat leaves Italy's Meloni looking more vulnerable Just now Share Save Sarah Rainsford Southern and Eastern Europe correspondent, Rome Share Save Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has lost a key referendum on a constitutional reform which had turned into a vote on her government. The result gives around 54% to the "No" campaign and 46% to the "Yes" vote which Meloni had backed. In a video posted on social media even before all the ballots were counted, Meloni said Italians had voted "with clarity" and she would respect their decision, but she regretted a "lost chance to modernise" the country. It is the first significant defeat for Meloni and her right-wing coalition, which has overseen a rare period of political stability for Italy. Opposition parties are hailing the result as a sign that voters are looking for change, with a general election due next year. When the two-day referendum ended on Monday afternoon, exit polls initially showed the "No" vote leading by a small margin, but that grew to a substantial lead as the count progressed. Despite the complex question on the ballot paper, turnout was almost 60%. A high figure had been expected to favour the government, but it was not enough to swing the vote. The reform voters rejected would have inscribed a firm separation between judges and prosecutors into the constitution. It also proposed distinct bodies to govern them and a new disciplinary court. The government argued the change was critical to improving judicial independence. The opposition countered that it would shatter a careful balance of powers established following the defeat of fascism, and increase political influence over the courts. Many Italians struggled to understand the technical details - perhaps a communication failure by Team Meloni - and the vote quickly morphed into a plebiscite on her near-record three and half years in office. But it fell at a difficult time. Meloni is a close ally of Donald Trump, but the US president i...
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